The holidays are just around the corner — and it’s shaping up to be a record travel season with big crowds and delayed flights.
You’ve probably booked your flights and hotels by now (if not, you should do that right away). However, one part of your trip may be lacking: credit card perks that make your trip more comfortable.
This could include speeding through airport security, taking advantage of more comfortable seats on your flight and getting freebies or upgrades along the way.
Let’s look at the best credit cards for making your next trip more enjoyable.
Premium credit cards that improve your travel experience
Having a premium credit card can offer a lot of perks. You can breeze through airport security, skip the line at rental car facilities and wait comfortably at an airport lounge simply by having a premium credit card in your wallet.
Here’s how these cards can make your travel experience better:
The Platinum Card from American Express
The Platinum Card® from American Express provides access to many travel benefits that will make your next trip more comfortable. Some benefits require enrollment in advance, and terms apply.
First, you can access a wide range of lounges while waiting for your flight at the airport, including American Express Centurion lounges, Delta Sky Club lounges (when flying Delta that day)*, Priority Pass Select lounges and other Global Lounge Collection partner lounges.
*Effective February 1, 2025: Eligible Platinum Card Members will receive 10 Visits per Eligible Platinum Card per year to the Delta Sky Club or to Grab and Go when traveling on a same-day Delta-operated flight.
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You also can make your flights more comfortable thanks to up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year for airline incidentals. You must select a preferred airline in advance, and then you can be reimbursed for expenses like checked bags, preferred seats or even inflight Wi-Fi purchases. Enrollment is required; terms apply.
As an Amex Platinum cardmember, you can also access Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts and The Hotel Collection. You can enjoy up to a $200 annual hotel credit each calendar year as a statement credit on prepaid Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection bookings with Amex Travel.
Note that there is a two-night minimum stay for The Hotel Collection bookings. These programs provide access to high-quality hotels and benefits like room upgrades, complimentary breakfast or late checkout.
Other hotel benefits come in the form of room upgrades and earning points at higher rates, thanks to elite status with Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors. Amex Platinum cardmembers can enroll for complimentary Gold status in both programs. Terms apply.
Plus, if you need a ride to an airport or hotel during your trip, you can take advantage of up to $200 in Uber Cash per calendar year (up to $20 each month, plus an additional $15 in December). You can use this for rides or Uber Eats orders in the U.S. by adding your Amex Platinum Card to your Uber account and redeeming with any Amex card. Enrollment is required; terms apply.
Alternatively, you can take advantage of complimentary elite status with National, Avis and Hertz. Enrollment is required; terms apply.
The Amex Platinum’s benefits come with an annual fee of $695 (see rates and fees).
To learn more, check out our full review of the Amex Platinum.
Related: Is the Amex Platinum worth the annual fee?
Apply here: The Platinum Card from American Express
Chase Sapphire Reserve
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® has a slightly lower annual fee ($550) than the Amex Platinum and also comes with several perks to make your next trip more comfortable.
Like Amex Platinum cardmembers, Sapphire Reserve cardholders can access over 1,600 Priority Pass lounges worldwide. They also have access to Chase Sapphire Lounges, currently open at six locations. A few Sapphire Lounges include Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) (technically a “Terrace,” not a lounge), Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) and Hong Kong International Airport (HKG).
The Sapphire Reserve card also reimburses your application fee for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or quicker access between the U.S. and Canada through Nexus.
If you need help securing difficult reservations or booking activities during your trip, Sapphire Reserve cardholders have access to a concierge service to assist.
Those looking for boutique hotel experiences can access the Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection. These bookings provide benefits like daily breakfast for two people, a $100 on-property credit and room upgrades (when available).
The Sapphire Reserve card also comes with up to $300 in annual travel credits that apply automatically to the first $300 you spend in broad travel categories each year — such as rides to the airport, airport parking, seat upgrades or even the beachside cabana that requires a paid reservation at a resort.
When renting a car, you’ll enjoy a complimentary National Emerald Club Executive membership, plus benefits with Avis and Hertz.
To learn more, check out our full review of the Chase Sapphire Reserve.
Related: Is the Chase Sapphire Reserve worth the annual fee?
Apply here: Chase Sapphire Reserve
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
With an annual fee of just $395, the Venture X card is a bargain compared to the Amex Platinum Card and Chase Sapphire Reserve and still comes packed with benefits to make your next trip more comfortable.
Along with access to Priority Pass lounges, cardholders also have unlimited visits to Capital One lounges — currently open at Denver International Airport (DEN), Dulles International Airport (IAD) and Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) — as well as Plaza Premium lounges.
Lounge benefits also extend to your authorized users, who can bring two guests of their own — meaning your whole family could access a lounge for free during your next trip.
Related: Big family? No problem! Get unlimited lounge guests with this credit card
Venture X cardholders can also enjoy reimbursement for their Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee to help move through security quickly.
For rental cars, Venture X cardholders (and Venture X authorized users) enjoy top-tier Hertz President’s Circle elite status.** After registering for this benefit, you can enjoy skip-the-line privileges, guaranteed upgrades, the widest range of selection and a free additional driver. Moreover, once you have rental car status with one company, you can use this to match your status to other rental car programs.
For other comforts during your trip, you can take advantage of 10,000 bonus miles on every account anniversary and a $300 annual credit for travel booked through the Capital One Travel portal. Great uses of these credits would be booking a boutique hotel or even stacking benefits with your Hertz car rentals.
**Upon enrollment, accessible through the Capital One website or mobile app, eligible cardholders will remain at that status level through the duration of the offer. Please note, enrolling through the normal Hertz Gold Plus Rewards enrollment process (e.g. at Hertz.com) will not automatically detect a cardholder as being eligible for the program and cardholders will not be automatically upgraded to the applicable status tier. Additional terms apply.
To learn more, check out our full review of the Capital One Venture X.
Related: Is the Capital One Venture X worth the annual fee?
Learn More: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Airline cards that make your flight more comfortable
If your travels include time in the air, a cobranded airline card can add some helpful perks to your flying experience.
For instance, a free checked bag is a key feature of nearly every airline credit card. This can save you money and improve your airport experience since you won’t carry as many things through security or onto the plane.
You can enjoy a free first checked bag on your flight across various credit cards and annual fees, such as the United℠ Explorer Card ($0 introductory annual fee, then $95), the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card ($95 annual fee), Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card ($350 annual fee, see rates and fees) and Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® ($595 annual fee, see rates and fees).
Many credit cards also extend the checked bag benefits to other people on your same reservation. However, the number of people this perk covers depends on the card and can vary widely.
For more details, see the following:
Beyond offering free checked bags, you can enjoy other comfort-adding perks from airline credit cards, such as priority boarding and access to preferred seats or seat upgrades.
Those holding credit cards with Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines or United Airlines will enjoy some level of preferred boarding when flying on those airlines. Generally, this means boarding before economy passengers but after business- and first-class passengers. By boarding early, you can access overhead storage bins before they fill up.
Additionally, many airline cards come with automatic or faster paths to elite status, allowing cardholders to enjoy seat upgrades when available.
Keep in mind that some perks, like free checked bags, require cardholders to purchase their fare on the card in question. Whether paying the taxes and fees of an award ticket counts for this can vary by airline. Check your card’s guide to benefits for the specifics.
Whether you want to save money on checked bags or enjoy a smoother boarding process, holding a cobranded airline card can boost your overall travel experience.
Related: 4 reasons someone in your family needs a United credit card
Hotel cards that improve your stay
When you think about adding comfort to your hotel stays, your first thought probably includes upgraded rooms. However, free (or faster) Wi-Fi, breakfast and parking and expedited check-in lines can also elevate your stay.
Having the right credit card in your wallet could offer you automatic entry-level status, netting you a few extra points and a free bottle of water. But it also might offer top-tier elite status that qualifies you for upgrades to suites and luxury treatment during your stay.
Hilton Honors credit cards
If you want top-tier Diamond status with Hilton — which includes perks like suite upgrades based on availability at check-in, lounge access at hotels that have them, bonus points, free breakfast and more — you can get this without the effort of counting your hotel nights every year.
Simply holding the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card confers Hilton Diamond status automatically for as long as your account is open. The card’s annual fee is $550, but this may be less than what you would spend on the necessary hotel stays to qualify for Diamond status annually.
Another option for Hilton status is carrying the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card, which confers automatic Hilton Honors Gold (mid-tier) status. The card comes with an annual fee of $150 (see rates and fees).
For this fee, your Gold status will come with benefits like bonus points on paid stays, room upgrades (but not to suites) based on availability at check-in and either food and beverage credits or complimentary breakfast, depending on the hotel.
The information for the Hilton Aspire card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Related: The best Hilton credit cards
IHG One Rewards credit cards
If you’re looking for elite status with IHG One Rewards, you can receive complimentary Platinum Elite status (the third-highest of the four tiers) pretty easily. Cardholders of the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card receive Platinum Elite status automatically; the card has a $99 annual fee.
Platinum Elite status offers benefits like bonus points on paid stays, upgraded rooms (including suites at some properties), a welcome gift of points or snacks and discounts on reward nights.
Related: IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card review
Marriott Bonvoy credit cards
Those aiming for elite status with Marriott Bonvoy can unlock Platinum Elite status simply by having the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card.
This status offers benefits like bonus points on paid stays, welcome gifts (which can range from points to a complimentary breakfast), lounge access at hotels that have these and upgrades to suites based on availability at check-in. These benefits come with an annual fee of $650 (see rates and fees) on this card.
The next status tier below Platinum Elite is Marriott Bonvoy’s Gold Elite status. You can get this status automatically with the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card and the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card. Both cards carry an annual fee of $250 (see rates and fees for the Bevy card).
Gold status provides benefits like enhanced internet speeds in your hotel room, upgrades to preferred rooms when available at check-in, late checkout and a welcome gift of bonus points.
The information for the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Related: Best Marriott credit cards
World of Hyatt credit cards
It’s also possible to gain elite status with World of Hyatt by holding a credit card. However, you’ll only gain Discoverist status by holding the World of Hyatt Credit Card, which has an annual fee of $95.
This status offers benefits like space-available upgrades to preferred rooms — such as a preferred location within the hotel or a nicer view — complimentary bottled water each day during your stay, premium internet access and late checkout.
Hyatt elite members also enjoy benefits from Hyatt’s partnership with American Airlines. This will include earning Hyatt points for spending money on American Airlines flights.
Related: World of Hyatt Credit Card review: 1 of the most valuable hotel cards
Wyndham Rewards credit cards
You can also gain automatic status with Wyndham Rewards through credit cards. The Wyndham Rewards Earner® Plus Card offers automatic Platinum status (the third-highest of four tiers), providing benefits like rollover nights, free Wi-Fi, preferred rooms, late checkout, early check-in and a status match to Caesars Rewards. The card has a $75 annual fee.
The no-annual-fee Wyndham Rewards Earner® Card offers automatic Gold status, providing benefits like free Wi-Fi, preferred rooms and rollover nights.
The information for the Wyndham Earner and Wyndham Earner Plus 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.
Related: Which Wyndham Rewards credit card is right for you?
Bottom line
Multiple credit cards can make your next trip more comfortable. From better seats on your flight to better rooms at your hotel and better experiences at airport security, what you hold in your wallet could elevate your next trip and remove stress points.
Premium credit cards can offer a range of perks and help you skip the lines at multiple points in your journey. Airline credit cards can offer perks like free checked bags, better seats and priority boarding. Hotel cards can get you free breakfast, room upgrades and late checkout.
Holiday travel can be hectic, but these cards can remove some hassle from your trip and give you more time to deal with the real holiday stressor — your travel companions.
Related: 4 things you really need to do now in advance of holiday travel
For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Amex Delta Platinum card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Amex Hilton Surpass card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Amex card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy Amex card, click here.
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.
