When you can’t use points or miles to cover a trip, earning rewards on your travel spending is the next best thing. Whether you’re booking a rental car, cruise or tour, the right credit card can help you rack up points or miles, earn statement credits and unlock valuable travel perks.
Most “best travel credit card” lists focus heavily on flights and hotels — and for good reason, as those purchases typically make up the bulk of travel spending. But what about everything else? Rides to and from the airport, train tickets, city transit, cruises and third-party bookings can add up, and they deserve their own spotlight.
Here are the best credit cards to use for general travel purchases (beyond just flights and hotels).
Related: How to pick the right travel credit card for you
The best credit cards for travel spending
The information for the American Express Green 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.
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
Annual fee: $95.
Why we like it: With a modest $95 annual fee, the Chase Sapphire Preferred is an attractive option for travelers looking to earn valuable rewards on a variety of travel and everyday purchases.
This card earns:
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- 5 points per dollar spent on travel booked through Chase Travel℠
- 3 points per dollar spent on dining
- 3 points per dollar spent on select streaming services
- 3 points per dollar spent on online groceries (excluding Target®, Walmart® and wholesale clubs)
- 2 points per dollar spent on other travel purchases
With this card, you’ll earn up to 1.75 cents per point when booking through Chase Travel (see your rewards program agreement for full details). Still, Chase Ultimate Rewards points are extremely valuable when transferred to partners such as Air Canada Aeroplan and World of Hyatt.
The card also offers a $50 annual credit on hotel stays booked through Chase Travel and 10% of your points back each year based on your card spending. The 10% rebate is based on a rate of 1 point per dollar spent throughout the year (not including bonus points from specific categories).
Finally, the Sapphire Preferred also provides primary car insurance when you’re renting vehicles, which is a fantastic benefit if you don’t want to rely on your auto insurance to cover you and drive up your premiums if an accident happens, as well as other travel protections such as trip delay insurance and trip cancellation insurance.
Apply here: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
American Express Green Card
Annual fee: $150.
Why we like it: The Amex Green is a great mid-tier card for travel purchases. You’ll earn 3 points per dollar spent on travel, transit and dining at restaurants worldwide (including takeout and delivery in the U.S.), as well as 1 point per dollar spent on everything else.
This card’s travel bonus category includes a wide range of purchases, such as transit and short-term vacation rental website purchases, in addition to traditional airfare and hotel spending.
The card also offers an up to $209 annual Clear Plus membership credit (after you sign up and pay for a Clear Plus membership; subject to auto-renewal) and does not charge foreign transaction fees. Enrollment is required.
Learn more: American Express Green Card
Atmos Rewards Summit Visa Infinite Credit Card
Annual fee: $395.
Why we like it: The Atmos Rewards Summit card stands out for its stellar rewards on foreign purchases, which is a rare benefit among premium travel cards.
Cardholders earn:
- 3 points per dollar spent on Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines purchases
- 3 points per dollar spent on eligible dining purchases
- 3 points per dollar spent on foreign transactions
- 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases
That last category is where this card truly shines. Most cards exclude international spending from bonus categories, but the Atmos Rewards Summit card rewards travelers for their everyday purchases abroad. If you frequently dine, shop or book travel overseas, this card delivers outstanding value and simplicity — all without foreign transaction fees.
Apply here: Atmos Rewards Summit Visa Infinite Credit Card
Citi Strata Premier Card
Annual fee: $95.
Why we like it: With a $95 annual fee, Citi’s midlevel Premier Card is inexpensive to keep in your card collection. You can earn 10 points per dollar spent on multiple travel purchases booked through the Citi Travel portal (such as hotels, car rentals and attractions), excluding air travel.
The card also has solid 3 points per dollar spent categories, including air travel, other hotels, gas stations, electric vehicle charging stations, restaurants and supermarkets.
Once you’ve earned Citi ThankYou Rewards points with this card, you can transfer points to Citi’s travel partners, which aren’t quite as strong as its competitors but have some sweet spots, like with Avianca LifeMiles as an airline partner.
Apply here: Citi Strata Premier Card
Bank of America Premium Rewards credit card
Annual fee: $95.
Why we like it: At first glance, Bank of America’s entry into the travel rewards market might not seem that exciting. The Bank of America Premium Rewards credit card earns a respectable 2 points per dollar spent on both travel and dining and 1.5 points per dollar spent on all other purchases, but there are no transfer partners with this card.
Instead, you can redeem your points for a statement credit, a bank deposit, gift cards or travel booked directly at a rate of 1 cent per point.
However, the real value of this card comes when you combine it with the Bank of America Preferred Rewards® program. Depending on how many assets you maintain at Bank of America and Merrill Lynch — including checking accounts, savings, retirement, investment portfolios and the like — you’ll earn one of three status tiers in the Preferred Rewards program, which translates to higher earning rates with the Premium Rewards card.
At either the Platinum Honors or Diamond Honors tier, the normal 2 points per dollar spent on travel turns into 3.5 points, and the everyday earning rate on this card becomes 2.625 points instead of 1.5 points. With those returns, the Premium Rewards credit card is definitely one to consider for travel purchases.
Plus, you’ll get up to $100 in TSA PreCheck/Global Entry application fee credit every four years and up to $100 in annual airline incidental statement credit for qualifying purchases.
Apply here: Bank of America Premium Rewards credit card
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Annual fee: $95.
Why we like it: Ease of use is the name of the game for the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card. Earn 2 miles per dollar spent on every purchase, including all your general travel expenses. Plus, you can earn 5 points per dollar spent on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through the Capital One Travel portal.
The Capital One Venture also allows you to redeem Capital One miles for a fixed value or transfer the miles you earn to its 15-plus airline and hotel transfer partners, including Avianca, Etihad and Turkish Airlines. Most Capital One partners transfer points at a 1:1 ratio.
Learn more: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Annual Fee: $395.
Why we like it: Capital One’s premium travel rewards card is an exciting one. The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card gives you a $300 annual travel credit for travel booked through Capital One Travel, up to a $120 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit and 10,000 bonus miles on each anniversary.
Additionally, Venture X cardholders receive complimentary access to Capital One lounges and a Priority Pass membership. The card also offers travel protections such as trip cancellation and interruption insurance, trip delay reimbursement and rental car insurance.
With a significantly lower annual fee than some competitors, the Venture X provides some excellent travel perks that make it a worthy addition to a traveler’s wallet.
Learn More: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Bottom line
Not every trip expense fits neatly into the “flights and hotels” box — and that’s where these cards shine. From train rides and cruises to meals abroad and rides back to your hotel, the right travel credit card can help you earn valuable rewards on every step of your journey.
So, when you can’t pay for your next adventure with points or miles, make sure you’re earning them with the right card in your wallet.
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.
Related: 7 of the best starter travel credit cards
