Travel credit cards can provide frequent travelers with valuable rewards, points, miles, and perks that make those long flights or road trips a bit more enjoyable. But with hundreds of options on the market, it can be hard to determine which card is best suited for your particular travel habits and budget.
That‘s why many consumers turn to the crowdsourced wisdom of Reddit threads to hear unfiltered opinions and recommendations from real-world users about the best travel credit card options.
In this article, we‘ll highlight five of the top travel credit cards mentioned positively on Reddit forums and break down their notable features. Whether you‘re looking to rack up rewards for hotel stays, airport lounge access when you fly, or cash back for gas fill ups and road trips, these cards are worth considering.
What Should You Look for in a Travel Rewards Card?
Before diving into the specific recommendations, let‘s review some of the key factors savvy travelers consider when comparing travel cards:
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Sign-up Bonuses: Many cards offer generous sign-up bonuses of 50,000 points or more when you meet a minimum spend in the first few months. This can score you a free flight or hotel stay right off the bat.
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Earning Rates: The base rate you earn per $1 spent, and bonus category spending rates, determine how quickly rewards rack up. Top travel cards offer 3x points or higher on travel spending.
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Redemption Value: How much each point or mile is worth when redeemed for travel. Look for cards that let you squeeze extra value from points.
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Annual Fee: Typically $95-550 for premium travel cards. The perks should offset the fee.
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Travel Perks: Lounge access, elite status, upgrades, and statement credits for travel incidentals provide additional value.
Now let‘s look at the top five picks from Reddit‘s discerning travelers.
1. Capital One Venture X
The new Capital One Venture X generates consistent enthusiasm on Reddit for its unmatched ease of use and earning potential. Cardholders earn an unlimited 2X miles on all purchases, with up to 10X miles possible through Capital One Travel portal bookings.
Miles can be redeemed for any travel purchase at a rate of 1 cent per mile ($100 travel = 10,000 miles) or transferred 1:1 to airline and hotel partners. Signing up can also score you 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4K in first 6 months.
With a $395 annual fee, the Venture X may seem expensive upfront. But between the application bonus, earning rates, and up to $300 per year in statement credits for bookings through Capital One Travel, most Redditors report it‘s still a bargain.
An automatic Hertz President‘s Circle status, airport lounge access, and up to $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck are icing on the cake. For a premium card that makes earning and redeeming tremendously straightforward, Venture X hits the mark for many.
2. Chase Sapphire Preferred or Reserve
For those entrenched in Chase‘s Ultimate Rewards ecosystem, the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Reserve frequently rank as go-to premium picks.
The Sapphire Preferred offers a 60,000 point sign-up bonus, worth $750 in travel booked through Chase, after spending $4,000 in first 3 months. Cardholders earn 5X on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards, 3X on dining and select streaming services, and 2X on other travel. Points can be transferred 1:1 to valuable airline and hotel partners.
There‘s a $95 annual fee, but it‘s waived the first year. Perks like trip delay reimbursement, primary car rental insurance, and no foreign transaction fee make this card worthwhile for frequent and infrequent travelers alike according to Reddit fans.
Meanwhile, the pricier Reserve version amps up earning in popular categories with 10X on hotels and car rentals and 5X on flights when booking through Chase. The redemption rate via Chase Travel also rises to 1.5 cents per point (100,000 points worth $1,500 in travel) and other statement credits and protections are boosted.
However, the Reserve comes with a $550 annual fee. So while Reddit users love both Sapphire cards‘ perks and point transfer flexibility, the Preferred hits the sweet spot for many cardholders.
3. The "Chase Trifecta"
Savvy Reddit users also frequently discuss "the Chase trifecta" – holding the Chase Sapphire Reserve or Preferred along with the no-annual fee Chase Freedom Flex and Unlimited cards.
This combination enables you to maximize bonus category spending across the cards – including 5% cashback on quarterly rotating categories with the Freedom Flex and 3% cashback on dining and drugstores with the Unlimited.
The points can then be transferred to the Sapphire card account to convert to valuable Ultimate Rewards points for booking flights, hotels, vacation rentals, and more. When redeemed this way, the Reserve boosts points to 1.5 cents each while the Preferred offers 1.25 cents per point.
This three card strategy enables you to pooling points from multiple sources while taking advantage of the Sapphire redemption bonuses and travel protections. Though it takes some work to implement, Redditors report getting incredible redemptions from the "trifecta" worth far more than the annual fees.
4. The Platinum Card from American Express
The Amex Platinum garners plenty of praise from jet-setting Reddit users for its high-end travel perks. Cardholders earn 5X Membership Rewards points on flights and hotels booked through Amex Travel and get up $200 in annual airline fee credits along with up to $200 in Uber Cash credits annually.
Additional statement credits and discounts can offset the high $695 annual fee when you tap into them. As an example, the Amex Hotel Collection provides room upgrades, complimentary breakfast, late checkout, and a unique amenity at participating property stays. General travel protections like rental car loss/damage coverage and trip cancellation/interruption insurance also come standard.
However, the Platinum shines thanks to its airport lounge access perks. You can access Amex‘s own ever-growing Centurion Lounges along with Priority Pass lounges and Delta Sky Clubs when flying Delta. For frequent fliers and those with long layovers, this benefit alone outweighs the annual fee cost. Add in automatic Gold elite status with Hilton and Marriott chains, and the Amex Platinum stands tall as a premium travel card.
Just be aware the Amex points system differs from Chase‘s, so look closely at airline and hotel transfer partners and redemption rates to get the highest value from the card.
5. Citi Costco Anywhere Visa® Card
For Reddit users that frequently shop at the bulk retailer, the Citi Costco Anywhere Visa combines savings at Costco with generous travel rewards.
Cardholders earn 4% cash back on eligible gas purchases, including gas stations and EV charging stations, on up to $7,000 in spending per year. All other Costco purchases, in-warehouse and online, net 2% back. And you get 3% cash back at restaurants worldwide along with 1% back on any other purchases.
To qualify, you‘ll need an annual Costco membership (starting at $60). But if you regularly shop at Costco already for groceries, household items, the fabled hotdog combo deal, and of course the ever-tempting impulse buys in store, the card‘s bonus categories align well.
Since earnings come in the form of cash back, this card complements airline/hotel cards that earn points exceptionally well. The money can offset incidental travel expenses or just pad your wallet. With no annual fee beyond the Costco membership, it‘s a simply yet effective option highlighted by Reddit users to consider.
Pick the Travel Card Strategy That Fits You
As outlined above, Reddit members offer glowing praise and positive experiences with each of these 5 top travel credit card options. What sets them apart from lesser options often comes down to:
- Valuable ongoing rewards bonuses that quickly accumulate
- Generous welcome bonuses that provide a quick influx of points/miles
- Reasonable annual fees relative to each card‘s perks and statement credits
- Flexible redemption options with transferable currencies
The best card depends on your goals, planned spending, preferred airlines/hotels, and travel style plus budget. Do some quick calculations with your expected monthly charges across different categories to estimate potential earnings.
If you frequently fly one airline, stick to budget hotels, road trip often, or simply seek a general cashback-oriented option, one card likely outshines others. Optimizing spending via category bonuses takes commitment but earns huge rewards over time. Consider pairing a premium Visa or AMEX that earns transferrable points with a cashback card like the Costco Visa in this case too.
Most importantly, be realistic with what benefits you will actually use regularly and which ones may go wasted. Travel credit cards invest heavily in earning bonus categories, statement credits, and upscale perks to attract and retain high-spending cardholders to offset their annual fees. Make sure any card you apply for actually aligns with your habits to get the most out of it.
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