The Best Travel Credit Cards for Beginners - NerdWallet (2024)

There are dozens of points and miles credit cards out there, from airline and hotel cards to business and cash-back cards. But not all of them are a good choice for someone new to travel rewards.

If you’re on the hunt for the best travel credit card for beginners, take a look at these three: a no-fee, mid-fee and high-fee card. Then you’ll be ready to start earning award travel fast.

There aren’t many no-fee travel credit cards out there, but the Chase Freedom Unlimited® is about as good as they come. That, coupled with its ease of use, may make it one of the best entry-level travel credit cards available.

Earning Chase points

Among the benefits that make this zero-fee card worth a look:

This card is best for pre-travel spending because you will be charged foreign transaction fees if you use it while traveling overseas. But for earning points at home, this card is a workhorse, especially when used on everyday expenses like groceries.

Redeeming Chase points

Using your Chase points is as easy as racking them up. You can redeem them for many reward options including travel, which encompasses airline fees, hotels, cruises, passenger trains and more.

All you need to do is make travel purchases with the card and redeem the cash back earned.

Another solid no-fee option: The Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Its current welcome bonus is: 25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases.

One of the best beginner travel credit cards out there may be the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. It’s a favorite among savvy travelers for a reason. It comes with a $95 annual fee, but for ease of use and flexibility in using your points, this card is tough to beat.

Some of the perks and benefits of the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card include:

Earning Chase points

That makes this card a great choice for an everyday point credit card, but it earns you even more on travel purchases and dining out (or ordering in).

The sign-on bonus is also exceptional for a card with such a low annual fee, though the minimum spend required to earn the bonus points is a little higher than with some other cards.

Redeeming Chase points

What makes this card worth a second glance as a starter travel credit card is its redemption options. You can either book travel and pay directly with points through Chase's booking portal, or you can transfer your points to any of 13 airline and hotel frequent traveler programs.

Another solid mid-fee option: The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

You'll also get a Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit (worth up to $120), a healthy welcome bonus and access to 15+ Capital One transfer partners.

Its welcome bonus is: Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

Ready to dive into travel rewards with both feet and reap all of the possible benefits of a top-tier card? A good first travel card for those willing to pay a hefty annual fee in exchange for a slew of travel benefits is The Platinum Card® from American Express.

At $695, it doesn’t come cheap, but it provides some seriously valuable perks:

Terms apply.

If you travel frequently — and like to do so in style — this card may be worth the high annual fee. So if you stay at hotels often (specifically Marriott and Hilton properties), frequently check luggage, aren’t yet approved for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, and would definitely use all the statement credits and status boosts, you’ll likely get more out of this card than you pay.

Plus you'll have access to 20+ transfer partners including 19 airlines, so you can turn those AmEx points into airline miles.

Other solid high-fee options

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® includes a $300 annual travel credit helps offset the annual fee. Plus, Priority Pass access, 3x points on travel and a 1.5-cents-per-point value for travel booked through the Chase's travel portal.

Its annual fee is $550, and its current sign-up bonus is: 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℠.

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card also comes with a $300 annual travel credit, the ability to transfer points to 17 airline and hotel transfer partners and unlimited access to Priority Pass, Capital One lounges, and more than 100 Plaza Premium lounges, including select Virgin Atlantic Clubhouses.

New cardholders can earn a sign-up bonus: 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.

The best entry-level travel credit card depends largely on your travel plans, spending habits and budget, but these are three excellent choices for anyone getting started with travel rewards.

To view rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, see this page.