Credit Card Categories, Travel Credit Card

Is a Travel Credit Card Worthwhile?

If you travel frequently, getting a travel credit card is worthwhile. This kind of credit card is perfect for people who frequently travel for business or pleasure and can afford to spend the minimum amount required by the card to accrue air miles and reward points.

Most travel cards do not charge fees for foreign spending, unlike most everyday credit cards. Thus, you can save a lot of money with a travel credit card. 

Additionally, having the finest travel credit card entitles you to benefits like entry to airport lounges, hotel and gas price breaks, and special offers on eating and shopping from international retailers. Many travel cards provide complimentary accident and travel insurance.

There are several credit cards available with numerous travel benefits. However, the top travel credit cards share the following advantages:

Features of a Great Travel Credit Card

Low Spend Per Mile

A good travel credit card should have a low spend-per-mile requirement and make it easy for cardholders to accumulate air miles.

Travel Insurance

Even though it’s preferable to not need them, travel insurance and assistance can give you peace of mind while you’re away from home.

Dual Currency

With dual currency billing and low or no foreign currency transaction fees, you can save money when you travel abroad.

Access to the airport lounge

Although this is merely a nice-to-have feature, it is advantageous to have a travel credit card that enables you to remain comfortable while waiting for your flight.

Top Three Travel Cards

Let’s discover the top 3 travel credit cards this 2023:

Hilton Honors Aspire Card

This American Express card has an annual fee of $450.

The good thing about this card is that it has no balance transfer fee or foreign transaction fee. This is the perfect card for someone who loves to travel. You can also earn 150,000 Hilton Honors bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases with the card within the first three months of card membership. Aside from that, you will get 14X Hilton Honors bonus points on eligible purchases at participating hotels or resorts within the Hilton portfolio. You can also enjoy more perks by booking directly with your card, as you can earn 7X points on flights booked directly with airlines or amextravel.com and 3X points at U.S. restaurants. The downside of this card is that it has a high annual fee of $450.00. If you will not travel that frequently, then this might not be the card for you.

Additional details:

  • Regular APR: 20.24% – 29.24% variable
  • Penalty APR: 29.99%

The World of Hyatt Credit Card

This Visa card provided by Chase has an Annual Fee of $95

This card is perfect for low-spending travelers. You will love how you will gain 2 points for every dollar you spend. If you use this card within the first three months of creating your account, you can earn 30,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases. Additionally, you can earn an additional 30,000 bonus points by spending up to $15,000 in the first six months of your account. Additionally, you will earn up to 9 points for every $1 spent at Hyatt, including 4 additional points for using your card in Hyatt hotels and 5 bonus points from Hyatt for World of Hyatt members. When purchasing plane tickets directly from the airlines, earn 2 points for every dollar spent in Hyatt hotels and 2 points for every dollar spent at restaurants, local transit and commutes, and fitness club and gym memberships. All other purchases that are eligible earn 1 point per dollar. Aside from that, this is the travel card with the lowest annual fee. It also has no foreign transaction fee, which is vital for a travel card. The downside is that it has a balance transfer fee of either $5 or 5% of the amount of each balance transfer, whichever is greater.

Additional details:

  • Regular APR: 20.24% – 27.24% Variable
  • Penalty APR: 29.99%

Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card

This American Express has an Annual Fee of $550

“Maximum rewards” is how I will describe this card. The more you spend using it, the more you will save. With this card, you get to win up to 3X miles and 1X miles on all other qualifying purchases. Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) of up to 60,000 can be earned with Status Boost every year. What’s more, you can earn 15,000 MQMs once you spend $30,000 on your Card each year, pushing you closer to Medallion® Status. In addition, Delta SkyMiles offers 90,000 reward miles after spending $6,000 on your new Card in the first six months. Furthermore, it does not have any foreign transaction fees or balance transfer fees, making it perfect for those who love shopping and traveling a lot. The downside to this card is that it has the highest annual fee of $550. But if you use it a lot, you will save four times or more than the annual fee. 

Additional Information:

  • Regular APR: 20.24-29.24% Variable
  • Penalty APR: 29.99%