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The Best Sleeping Bags of 2024, Tested and Reviewed

The Sea to Summit Ascent Down ranked highest of 29 tested sleeping bags

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TripSavvy / Amelia Manley

A quality night's sleep fuels your outdoor adventures, and a suitable sleeping bag is probably the most important piece of your camping sleeping system, which usually also includes a sleeping pad. Most people focus on how warm a bag is but fit also can make or break your sleep in the wild.

Weight and packability are also significant concerns for backpackers who want to keep their packs as light and streamlined as possible. The materials and treatments are also important since they'll affect a sleeping bag's durability, breathability, and water resistance.

Our testers took 29 sleeping bags outdoors to evaluate the top models for all the essential attributes above, plus quality, value, and looks. Keep reading to learn why our testers loved these top picks to find the right sleeping bag for you and how you get outdoors.

Other Sleeping Bags We Tested

How we tested.

• What to Look For

Why Trust Tripsavvy

Best overall, sea to summit ascent down sleeping bag.

Sea to Summit

A relaxed mummy shape allows more sleeping positions

The zipper system ventilates for warmer nights

Our top pick is the high-end Ascent Down sleeping bag from the Australian outdoor brand Sea to Summit that delivers comfort, warmth, and packability. The bag should please a wide range of sleepers thanks to the relaxed mummy shape that allows more natural sleeping positions than sleeping bags with tighter shapes used to shave weight. One of our testers suffers from restless leg syndrome and loved the bag because he had fewer issues finding comfortable sleeping positions.

The 750+ down fill provides a great warmth-to-weight ratio for this zero-degree bag, which our testers found very comfortable in sub-freezing temperatures while testing in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains and warmer environments such as Joshua Tree National Park. The Ascent Down series features a Free-Flow triple-zipper system that allows maximum ventilation and even conversion into a quilt when a zero-degree-rated bag is overkill. This versatility minimizes one of the main drawbacks of a zero-degree bag: they are often too hot for summer camping.

There are also many intelligent features such as vertical baffles around the upper body to prevent down bunch as you shift in the night. There’s also an insulation tube along the full-length left-side zipper to prevent cold at that seam and an oversized hood with a draft collar to protect your head on extra-cold nights.

Temperature Rating: 0 | Materials/Insulation: 20D nylon liner, 750+ down fill | Weight: 2 pounds, 14.7 ounces | Compressed Volume: 8.2 liters | Sustainability: Responsible Down Standard down insulation with non-PFC treatment

TripSavvy / Sheri Wilson

Best Overall, Runner-Up

Mountain hardware bishop pass 15 sleeping bag.

Good value for the weight and performance

Tight mummy shape restricts sleeping positions

The Mountain Hardwear Bishop Pass 15-Degree Sleeping Bag delivers sub-three-pound weight and three-season warmth for backpacking for less than most other performance sleeping bag brands. While it might not be enough for outings that hedge into winter temperatures, it’s a great compromise bag that should keep you warm in most camping situations from spring through fall.

As a 15-degree-rated bag, the Bishop Pass 15 balances weight and warmth nicely, delivering a bag that’s just over 2 pounds but, unlike many zero-degree bags, can still serve you for midsummer nights. The Bishop 15 makes sense for most fair-weather backpackers who don’t want to shell out for multiple sleeping bags to cover different times of the year and regions in which they might camp. One of our testers spent several nights in the Bishop Pass 15 at around 40 degrees nightly low temperature and said she maintained a comfortable temperature.

The Bishop Pass 15 uses 650-fill down for insulation which doesn’t have the same warm-to-weight ratio as the highest-end bags, but the bag’s overall weight is still low, and this down choice no doubt helps keep the bag’s cost below $300 while 800+ fill-type bags usually cost closer to $500 and more, including Mountain Hardwear’s own excellent Phantom 0-Degree . If you like the Bishop Pass but want something that you can use nearly year-round, check out the Phantom, but be prepared to pay around $800 and carry a touch more weight.

Temperature Rating: 15 degrees | Materials/Insulation: 20D nylon face fabric, 30D nylon liner, 650-fill down | Weight: 2 pounds, 5.4 ounces | Compressed Dimensions: 8 x 15.5 inches | Sustainability: Responsible Down Standard down insulation

TripSavvy / Nathan Allen

Best Budget

Kelty catena 30 sleeping bag.

Simple, comfortable shape

Comfortable for indoors and on warmer nights

Limited utility outside of summer temps

While most R&D effort goes into making backcountry sleeping bags lighter, warmer, and more packable, many car campers, van lifers, and hut/yurt goers don’t need to pay a premium for those improvements need a solid sleeping bag. The Kelty Catena 30 fills that niche with a classic rectangular bag that’s just over $50 and perfect for vehicle camping and even for warmer summer nights in a tent.

Kelty produces plenty of performance-minded outdoor gear—from tents to backpacks—but they also are known for making gear more accessible for the budget-conscious, and the Catena 30 fits that mold perfectly. For the price, it’s an excellent option for light-duty applications, even if you also own a pricier performance bag, since you can call the Catena into service when your 800-fill zero-degree bag is just overkill.

Beginner campers will also appreciate the classic rectangular shape, which, while not as efficient for weight savings, allows a much broader range of sleeping positions and isn’t as hard to adjust to as a restrictive mummy shape. Our tester praised the Catena’s comfort, saying they mostly forgot they were sleeping in a bag versus regular bedding while van camping along the California coast.

Despite being an entry-level bag, the compressed size and weight of the bag aren’t bad for summer use for shorter backpacking trips. The 30-degree rating will limit the range of colder climates; you can add a rectangular sleeping bag liner to add several degrees of warmth without needing to purchase an additional sleeping bag.

Temperature Rating: 30 degrees | Materials/Insulation: 190T polyester taffeta, 50-denier 300T polyester, CloudLoft synthetic insulation | Weight: 3 pounds, 15 ounces | Compressed Dimensions: 10 x 18 inches | Sustainability: n/a

Marmot Sawtooth 15 Sleeping Bag

Dual side zippers for warm-weather venting

Wider in shoulders and hips for comfort

Expandable mummy foot box

Bulky compressed size

When shopping for performance backpacking sleeping bags, you might notice that the cost for incremental improvements increases dramatically the closer you get to the cutting edge in terms of weight savings, warmth-to-weight ratio, and packability. The difference between a $50 bag and a $150 might be dramatic, but the improvements gained by jumping from a $250 bag to an $800 one are not as much.

For this reason, the $300 mark (right where the Marmot Sawtooth sits) is often the sweet spot for those looking for a light, warm, and packable bag without spending a rent payment. The Marmot Sawtooth 15 may not be the lightest or warmest bag available, but for a reasonable sticker price, you get a bag you can use year-round that won’t kill your pack or your back on more ambitious backpacking trips thanks to a sub-3-pound weight.

Marmot also hits the sweet spot in terms of warmth with the Sawtooth 15 since the bag will be warm enough for most three-season trips but doesn’t come with the extra cost and weight of a true zero-degree bag. It also has unique dual vents at the shoulders to help you stay cool camping in warmer temperatures.

Temperature Rating: 15 degrees | Materials/Insulation: 20D nylon, 650+-fill duck down insulation | Weight: 2 pounds, 14.2 ounces | Compressed Dimensions: 10 x 18 inches | Sustainability: Responsible Down Standard insulation

Best for Women

Big agnes torchlight ul 20 degree f sleeping bag.

Highly adjustable fit thanks to side expansion zippers

It packs down very small

Light-colored fabric shows wear easily

Extra materials hurt the warmth-to-weight ratio

While most sleeping bags are considered unisex, a few brands produce female-specific options that aren’t just rebranded unisex bags with more fun colors. Big Agnes’ Women’s Torchlight 20 uses a roomy mummy fit that’s contoured to a woman’s body shape to help fit better to minimize both tight spots and unnecessary extra room, which can also cause cold spots.

The Women’s Torchlight also has a unique dual-zipper system for expansion that allows you to selectively expand the internal space of the bag to customize your fit. The panels can add as much as 5 inches of girth on each side, meaning the bag can accommodate a wide range of body sizes and shapes. Our tester said this bag was the most comfortable she’d ever used in 25 years of camping and that she doesn’t “want to climb out of the bag in the mornings because {she’s} so cozy and comfortable.”

In addition to the expansion zippers, ventilation zippers are on either side to cool the bag down when used in warmer temperatures. Despite using a high warmth-to-weight ratio Downtek 850 fill, the bag keeps the amount of insulation lower, so it is only a 20-degree-rated sleeping bag. Our tester was comfortable using the Torchlight 20 during nightly lows in the 20s and 30s but said she’d likely purchase a warm-weather version of the same sleeping bag for midsummer use.

The Torchlight 20 UL packs down extremely small but is about average in its weight for a high-end backpacking sleeping bag at 2 pounds, 5 ounces. This is likely a result of the extra materials used on the zippered expansion and ventilation systems, so you maybe be able to get a lighter women’s-specific bag if you don’t struggle with the fit issues that those systems address.

Temperature Rating: 20 degrees | Materials/Insulation: ripstop nylon, polyester taffeta, 850 Downtek insulation | Weight: 2 pounds, 5 ounces | Compressed Dimensions: 6 x 7 inches | Sustainability: PFC-free down treatment

TripSavvy / Signe Bamsey

Best for Women, Runner-Up

Feathered friends egret ul 20/30 women's sleeping bag.

Feathered Friends

Ultralight for the warmth rating

Our tester had zipper issues

Feathered Friends may not be a household name in outdoor gear, but their high-end down apparel and sleeping bags have earned a cult following thanks to their handmade quality and intelligent design. The Egret UL 20/30 sleeping bag is an ultralight (less than 2 pounds!) backpacking bag that uses premium materials to achieve top-level performance with a women's tailored fit.

The 950-fill down insulation is about as good as it gets in natural down quality for warmth-to-weight, and it shows in the product's overall weight. That said, this is still a 20-degree-rated bag, so if you run extremely cold or spend a lot of time camping during colder shoulder seasons, you may need to add a sleeping bag liner for added warmth or consider a zero-degree bag.

Because the insulation is natural down, the Pertex 10-denier Endurance UL exterior serves an important purpose: keeping the bag waterproof while still allowing it to breathe so you don't get clammy at night. You get a silky 15-denier ripstop nylon inside the bag that offers a plush feel against your skin. (Our tester fell asleep on their couch the first time they tried testing the fit of this bag!)

While this is a high-end bag that costs over $500, the price tag isn't as high as the premium sleeping bags from other bigger outdoor brands, and all the Feathered Friends products come with a lifetime warranty. While our tester loved this bag, they did experience a zipper failure that kept this from being our top pick for women.

Temperature Rating: 20 degrees | Materials/Insulation: Pertex Endurance UL, Flite 15 denier ripstop nylon, 950+ insulation | Weight: 1 pound, 11.2 ounces | Compressed Volume: 9 liters | Sustainability: PFC-free down treatment

Best for Side Sleepers

Big agnes sl 20 sleeping bag.

Address an all-too-common complaint with traditional bags

Lightweight and packable

No zero-degree version

People spend more than half their time in bed in a side-sleeping position . Yet, most sleeping bags are shaped like coffins, only natural for the minority of folks that prefer the “savasana” or “corpse pose” sleeping position. Big Agnes delivers a solution with the Sidewinder SL 20, which puts the head opening to the side and offers tailoring designed with the side sleeper in mind.

In addition to being shaped to the side sleeper, the Sidewinder rolls with you as many side sleepers shift in the night and switch sides, which can bunch insulation and cause cold spots in other bags. If you bend your knees in the side position, the bag also bends with you, and while that sounds nice on paper, our tester confirms “that ergonomically contoured fit actually does move with you in your sleep as you flop from side to side. As an outdoor gear editor, I own and test a ton of sleeping bags. This one has become one of my favorites.”

We also appreciate many other features that aren’t specific to side sleeping, such as a draft-preventing zipper garage, an adjustable hood with a draft baffle, and extra insulation in important places. While the bag uses body-mapped insulation and adds synthetic to the down in key areas, this is still a 20-degree bag, and our tester needs additional insulation when sleeping on nights when low temps went below about 30 degrees.

Temperature Rating: 20 degrees | Materials/Insulation: ripstop nylon, 650-fill-power DownTek insulation | Weight: 2 pounds, 4 ounces | Compressed Dimensions: 8 x 17.5 inches | Sustainability: PFC-free DWR, Responsible Down Standards insulation

Best Ultralight

Rab 20f mythic ultra 360 down sleeping bag.

Class-leading weight and packability

Aggressive mummy taper may be restrictive for shifty sleepers

The United Kingdom’s Rab is known for high-end down apparel and sleeping bags, and the Mythic 360 fills a niche for ultralight runners, bikepackers, and thru-hikers willing to pay a premium for featherlight warmth.

The Mythic 360 weighs less than a pound and a half, and it gets there by cutting a few corners that won’t be a big sacrifice for most prospective users in this category. First, it has a fairly sharply tapered mummy shape which our tester found very comfortable but may constrict very shifty sleepers. Rab also uses a high-quality 900-fill down insulation that delivers a high warmth-to-weight ratio, and they don’t use so much that the bag gets bulky yet still manages a 20-degree warmth rating. There’s also a half-zip instead of a whole, so you can’t entirely blow the bag open to use as a quilt in warmer sleeping temperatures.

The 7-denier nylon fabric is light and thin, and on the inside, it features Rab’s Thermo Ionic Lining Technology (TILT) which performs like an emergency blanket to reflect the body’s heat, maximizing performance in extreme cold. While there isn’t a water-repellent treatment outside, the down is a proprietary blend developed with Nikwax to make it hydrophobic (read: quick-drying despite being natural down).

Temperature Rating: 20 degrees | Materials/Insulation: 7D ripstop nylon, 900FP European Goose Down | Weight: 1 pound, 5.4 ounces | Compressed Dimensions: 7 x 14 inches | Sustainability: PFC-free DWR, Responsible Down Standards insulation

Most Versatile

Nemo disco 15.

Accommodates side-sleeping and shifting positions

Heavy for the warmth rating and price

The always-innovative Nemo adds space at the knees and elbows to accommodate shifting in the night and side-sleeping with a unique cut to the bag and some ingenious features. The bag gets there by adding more weight than similar bags in its class, but those who struggle with comfort due to restriction or overheating will be willing to pay the price in ounces for a better night’s sleep.

Our tester summarized this lightweight bag as “plush” in their full review of the Disco 15 , and that’s not typical praise for a backpacking sleeping bag. The comfort is mainly due to the forgiving shape, but it also employs a cushy Blanket Fold draft collar that cradles your head in warmth. This combines with the integrated pillow pocket, which accommodates Nemo’s own Fillo camping pillow but can also provide structure for improvised pillows such as rolled-up puffy jackets and clothing.

Our tester found the Disco 15 comfortable down to about 20 degrees, but it’s not cut out for extreme cold, and if you want to extend the effective season of the Disco, you may need to add a liner into its ample space. It’s also a tad heavy for the warmth rating, but that’s the trade-off you make for best-in-class comfort.

Temperature Rating: 15 degrees | Materials/Insulation: 30D nylon taffeta, 650-fill hydrophobic down | Weight: 2 pounds, 11 ounces | Compressed Dimensions: 9 x 12 inches | Sustainability: Responsible Down Standards insulation

Best Winter

Mountain hardwear gore-tex sleeping bag.

Wind- and waterproof but still breathable

Oversized to permit liners for extreme cold

Usually, when a sleeping bag is described as “three-season,” people mean spring, summer, and fall. By contrast, the Mountain Hardwear Phantom 0 is most appropriate for fall, winter, and early spring in most areas because it’s so warm and likely too hot for most summer camping. As such, this is a specialized bag for backcountry skiers, expeditions, and other demanding applications.

The Phantom uses 850-fill down and plenty of it to deliver a zero-degree rating and comfort down to about 13 degrees. Believe it or not, Mountain Hardwear also makes the highly cold-ready Phantom -40 bag if you need maximum warmth at any cost and a respectable weight. The Phantom 0 isn’t cheap, but you’re paying for an overall ultralightweight for a bag in this class at just over 3 pounds, not much more ounces than many backpacking-grade 20-degree bags.

The Phantom uses a tapered mummy cut to keep the weight reasonable, but it’s fairly long and roomy by design to allow you to add an insulating liner or other items inside the bag. Mountain Hardwear also employs Gore-Tex Windstopper fabric to deal with the high winds found in extreme environments while allowing moisture to escape.

It’s worth emphasizing that this is a warm bag unsuited for most fair-weather camping. Our tester spent several nights in the Phantom 0 with nightly lows at or above 30 degrees and found the bag too toasty for the conditions. While you’ll be glad for the warmth in the right settings, this isn’t like some of our other selections that hedge their bets on warmth by adding venting and other features to make their bags adaptable to warmer nights.

Temperature Rating: 0 degrees | Materials/Insulation: 30D ripstop nylon, 20-denier nylon taffeta, 850-fill down | Weight: 3 pounds, 5 ounces | Compressed Dimensions: 9.5 x 17 inches | Sustainability: Responsible Down Standards insulation, bluesign-certified materials

TripSavvy / John Somerall

Best for Extreme Cold

Therm-a-rest polar ranger -20 sleeping bag.

REI Co-op Shop

Light and highly compressible for transport

Well-thought-out snorkel tube breathing opening

Too narrow an application for most campers

If you are an Arctic explorer like Eric Larsen, who helped design this bag, you might need a bag this warm and expedition-ready. If, as our tester for this bag noted, "you're a casual camper who stops camping in November, it might be overkill." Whether or not you ever visit the South pole, there are plenty of places in North America where temperatures drop below zero and justify employing the Polar Ranger from Therm-a-Rest.

There is, of course, a hefty amount of insulation in the Polar Ranger, with just over 2 pounds of 800 fill power Nikwax-treated waterproof down making up most of this bag's total weight. Even with all that insulation, the Polar Ranger is a very manageable 3 pounds and 4 ounces and packs down unbelievably small for its size.

Unlike more recreational bags, the Polar Ranger closes up snugly around your head, leaving essentially just an opening big enough for your mouth called a "snorkel tube." Unlike the rest of the bag, the tube uses synthetic down to prevent breath condensation from affecting the warmth of that section. A simple magnetic closure also doesn't require fiddling when sealing up the last closure for the night.

Temperature Rating: -20 degrees | Materials/Insulation: recycled nylon, 800-fill-power Nikwax Hydrophobic Down | Weight: 3 pounds, 4 ounces | Compressed Dimensions: 8.5 x 10 inches | Sustainability: Responsible Down Standards insulation, recycled materials

TripSavvy / Grace Kelly

Best for Warm Weather

Therm-a-rest 32f/0c sleeping bag.

About as light as it gets

Plush comfort without being too warm

Expensive for the warmth

Interestingly enough, Therm-a-Rest, our top pick brand for Extreme Cold, also produces our favorite sleeping bag for warm-weather backpacking. There are many basic options if you just need something simple and cheap for warm-weather RVing or car camping. But if you’re covering long distances over multiple days backpacking in warmer climates, consider the ultralight, well-designed Hyperion 32 from Therm-a-Rest.

Some 900-fill Nikwax hydrophobic down is the key ingredient here, providing enough warmth without adding much bulk or weight. The bag is comfort-rated down to 41 degrees, which means it fills a niche for campers spending time outdoors on cool but not freezing nights between about 40 and 55 degrees where you’d be cold without a bag but uncomfortable in a warmer option. Our tester spent about a dozen nights outside over a year and said the Hyperion 32 is most comfortable in the mid-40s.

Perhaps the key “feature” here is the weight. At only 1 pound, this is one of the lightest backpacking packs you can buy and will satisfy ultralight hikers, climbers, and bikepackers for whom every ounce matters. It also compresses to roughly a 6 x 6-inch cylinder, making it easy to fit in minimalist backpacks and bikepacks.

Temperature Rating: 32 degrees | Materials/Insulation: 10D ripstop nylon w/ DWR, 900-fill-power Nikwax Hydrophobic Down | Weight: 16 ounces | Compressed Dimensions: 5.5 x 6 inches | Sustainability: Responsible Down Standards insulation

Best Double

The north face eco trail bed double 20 sleeping bag.

Backcountry

Cozy, felt-like fabric near the head

100 percent recycled materials

Awkwardly placed internal pocket

While there are many sleeping bags available in both left and right-hand zippers so they can be zipped together, there are advantages to a dedicated double sleeping bag. RVers and van lifers will appreciate the cozy warmth and relaxed traditional shape that allows two people to sleep comfortably together.

The Eco Trail has a classic rectangular shape and, at nearly 8 pounds, is too heavy for backpacking long distances (and since only one person can carry it at a time), plus the 13 x 24-inch stuff sack is awkward to fit in a backpack. Still, the bag is rated down to 20 degrees, and our tester couple said it kept them cozy through nightly temperatures in the 30s, so it’s not just a glorified quilt.

Obviously, the design precludes this from being a versatile option, and unlike separate bags that zip together, a single person wouldn’t use the Eco Trail solo. But for dedicated vehicle camping situations as a couple, such as RVs, vans, and even rooftop tents, the Eco Trail is a great solution built for two.

Temperature Rating: 20 degrees | Materials/Insulation: 50D recycled ripstop polyester, 50D embossed polyester taffeta, 900-fill-power Nikwax Hydrophobic Down | Weight: 7 pounds, 8 ounces | Compressed Dimensions: 13 x 24 inches | Sustainability: 100 percent recycled materials

TripSavvy / Dylan Thompson

Best for Kids

Big agnes 15 degree sleeping bag.

All the top features found in adult bags

Have to get a bigger size for larger kids

If you have kids, you may have noticed they get both hot and cold more easily than adults. This is because they don’t have as effective temperature regulation as adults and, when camping, can mean they get cold in seemingly moderate temperatures, making a warm bag such as Big Agnes’ Little Red 15 a key component of happiness at the campsite.

The Little Red fits kids up to 4 feet and 5 inches tall but has all the features an adult would want in a sleeping bag. There’s an adjustable hood to keep their head warm and cozy, a draft-eliminating collar and zipper, and it secures to their sleeping pad to keep them from sliding off in the night and getting chilled by bare ground.

If your little ones are too big for the Little Red, Big Agnes has two steps up in size in the Wolverine and Duster models, which reach up to 5 feet, 6 inches tall to accommodate smaller teens.

Temperature Rating: 15 degrees | Materials/Insulation: polyester shell and lining, M4 synthetic insulation | Weight: 1 pound, 12 ounces | Compressed Dimensions: 7.5 x 9 inches | Sustainability: n/a

Coleman Green Valley (30-50F): Our tester thought this was a good value and a solid warm weather option but didn’t enjoy the somewhat scratchy liner fabric against their skin.

Western Mountaineering MegaLite 30F Down : Our 6-foot, 4-inch tester was comfortable in this warmer option despite a tapered mummy shape. The bag is ultralight, but you’ll pay a premium for it.

Enlightened Equipment Revelation Sleeping Quilt : We appreciated the versatility of this unique design that relies on an insulated pad underneath to complete the sleeping system. This ultralight option kept our tester warm into the low 30s but will require some learning for those used to a traditional sleeping bag.

Sea to Summit Spark Ultralight 28:  This is an ultralight, highly packable down sleeping bag with lots of smart design features, but it’s pricey, and our tester had concerns about the durability of the minimalist fabrics.

Zenbivy Bed 25 : The Zenbivy Bed is designed to provide a sleeping experience more akin to your bed at home, with a sheet below you and a mummy-style quilt above that you can kick out of if needed and sleep in a more natural position.

North Face Eco Trail Synthetic 20 : A bit heavy and bulky, this bag is a throwback in the age of ultralight, ultra-packable expensive bags—a solid car camping option.

Kelty Cosmic 20 Degree Down : This simple, affordable down bag kept our tester warm on a hunting trip with nightly lows down to 25 degrees.

NEMO Forte 20 : Our tester found the bag comfortable but wished it packed down smaller and struggled with the many zippers for both the opening and venting.

REI Co-op Magma 15 : This bag lacked the loft and comfort of similar products with similar insulation. Our tester also experienced issues with breathability that made the bag feel damp.

TETON Sports Celsius 0F : This cold-weather bag kept our tester warm in near-freezing temperatures, but she regularly struggled to pack it up into the provided stuff sack.

NEMO Jazz 30 Double Sleeping Bag : The bed-like design made it feel more like sleeping at home. Between the weight and impracticality of the compressed size, this is for car camping or home use.

Kelty Tru.Comfort 20 Doublewide : Our tester couple enjoyed the comfort of sharing this double bag and found it kept them warm until they approached the bag’s warmth rating limit one night in the 20s.

A group of more than a dozen testers evaluated 29 sleeping bags on comfort, warmth, fit, packability, sustainability, durability, and style. Our testers were spread across different regions of the United States and tested the bags at home and for at least several full nights outdoors. All of the bags tested underwent the same battery of tests, from checking closures and fit at home to testing outdoors in vans and tents.

What to Look for in a Sleeping Bag

Temperature rating.

The temperature rating system for sleeping bags can be confusing as there are often at least two temperature rating numbers listed: the comfort rating and the limit rating. The comfort rating can be considered the lowest temperature you can expect to stay warm in the bag. If you tend to run cold, you may want to add a few degrees here since that number is subjective. The limit rating can be thought of as the “survival” temperature. You won’t freeze to death in the bag at this temperature, but you likely won’t feel warm, either.

Brands will often put the limit rating number in the model name of the sleeping bag, so a “20-degree” bag may start to get uncomfortably cold at a higher number, say 28 degrees, so be sure to look at both numbers before deciding if a particular bag is appropriate for your normal camping conditions.

Materials and Insulation

The majority of the volume and weight of a sleeping bag is usually some form of insulation, often natural down or synthetic insulations. The fill power number for a particular down insulation indicates the warmth-to-weight ratio, and higher is better and usually more expensive. This is why pricier bags will usually feel loftier, fluffier, and lighter than cheaper bags, and you’ll want to look for higher fill power numbers if you’re concerned with weight but need performance, too.

Most inner and outer fabrics that form the baffles surrounding the insulation will be synthetics such as nylon or polyester. Manufacturers will usually list a Denier number for the fabrics, and lower numbers will be lighter and feel silkier against your skin but will be less durable as a result. If you prize durability over comfort and weight, you may want to pick a bag that uses higher-Denier fabrics. If weight is the primary concern, look for fabrics about 20D or less.

The difference in weight between the lightest and heaviest bags is only a few pounds, but for certain backpacking applications, those few pounds matter greatly. Saving even a few ounces in the weight of your sleeping bag when you’re hiking for weeks on the Continental Divide Trail in Colorado, for example, can make a big difference, especially if you’re able to save ounces for each piece of gear you pack on your back.

To give a sense of the range, the lightest bag in our top picks comes in at 1 pound even, while the heaviest one (excluding the double option) is still less than 4 pounds. Most backpackers always want a lighter bag if they can afford it, but if you’re camping in extreme cold, you may need to accept higher weights since staying warm is more important than weight savings in those scenarios.

Car campers can save a lot of money by purchasing bags that are a bit heavier. The most expensive bags on the market cost what they do because brands have to use premium materials and intelligent design to create sleeping bags that are both warm but also ultralight and ultra-packable.

You can get a perfectly serviceable and comfortable sleeping bag for less than $100, but it likely won’t be both light, low-volume, and warm. With cheaper bags, you’ll need to choose one or two of those attributes at best. The most expensive bags will usually achieve high marks in all three fields, but you’ll pay from $500 to $1000 to get there.

Most campers come home exhausted and the last thing they feel like doing is cleaning their sleeping bag and properly drying it before putting them away again. That said, we recommend at least opening up your bag and airing it out before stashing it away until the next use. Even if you think the bag is perfectly dry and clean, it’s a good habit to at least remove the bag from its storage sack and shake it out for repacking, just to be sure.

Most sleeping bags are stored in some kind of stuff sack and while you want them fully compressed for carrying, it’s best to expand those stuff sacks to their maximum before putting the bag away. Many higher-end sleeping bags will come with two storage sacks: one compression stuff sack to use on the trail and another larger bag that allows the bag to expand and keep you from permanently compressing the insulation. If your bag doesn’t come with one of these larger sacks, you can use something as cheap and simple as a kitchen trash bag to store your sleeping bag and save the compression sack for when you’re actively camping.

If you camp frequently, it’s a good idea to wash your bag at least once a year to prevent it from prematurely showing signs of wear and to prevent unpleasant odors. Manufacturers will usually provide guidance on how to wash and dry your bag based on the specific materials used. If your bag has special treatments such as Gore-Tex or any DWR coating, you’ll want to use specialized detergents and treatments such as Nikwax products.

The easiest way to narrow down your sleeping bag choices is to assess the climates you usually camp in as well as the style of camping you most employ. RVers who have supplemental heat can get away with much lighter sleeping bags and can ignore concerns about weight and packability for the most part. Ultralight backpackers will want to pay more for light and packable options.

Likewise, if you mostly camp in warmer climates during the summer, you’ll want to avoid getting a bag that’s too warm, while high-elevation and cold-weather backpackers will need to look at bags with a comfort rating ideally a bit lower than the coldest nightly temperatures they usually experience.

If you’re a beginner camper, start with something affordable with a more traditional rectangular shape that’s easier to get comfortable in. As you spend more nights outside in sleeping bags, you’ll get a better idea of your sleeping bag preferences and can upgrade accordingly later on.

We’ve provided our top picks in many categories above to try and make recommendations specific to the many styles of camping and flavors of camper out there. If you don’t exactly align with any of those categories, try to rank the attributes of a sleeping bag that matter most to you and look for sleeping bags that get good ratings in your top three or four attributes. Common aspects that we looked at in our testing that you should consider are weight, comfort, warmth rating, packability, shape, durability, and cost. Narrow your search to a handful of likely candidates and then rank them on the aspects most important to you and a winner will likely emerge.

Justin Park started camping when he was in the womb. Now based in Breckenridge, Colorado, he sleeps outdoors in a range of environments for hunting and fun, from Utah’s deserts to the high alpine of the Rockies. His current go-to sleeping bag is the Sea to Summit Spark 5-Degree bag for its lightweight warmth and small form factor.

• Skarpsno ES , Mork PJ, Nilsen TIL, Holtermann A . "Sleep positions and nocturnal body movements based on free-living accelerometer recordings: association with demographics, lifestyle, and insomnia symptoms" Nov. 1, 2017

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Scott Gilbertson Gear Team

The Best Sleeping Bags for Every Adventure

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John Muir famously set off for the mountains with “some bread and tea in a pair of blankets with some sugar and a tin cup.” I admire his ultralight spirit and disdain for comfort on the trail, but I'd be willing to bet that if Muir were around today, he'd bring a good down sleeping bag with him, if for no other reason than they're lighter than old blankets. The tea is essential though, I can't argue with that.

Whether you're following Muir into the backcountry, are planning the perfect family camping trip, or are trekking the Camino de Santiago, there's a sleeping bag for that. No matter how you travel, where you're headed, or how much comfort you seek, after years of testing, we've found the best sleeping bags for everyone.

Adrienne So, Martin Cizmar, and Matt Jancer contributed to this guide.

Be sure to read through our other outdoor guides, including the Best Sleeping Pads , Best Tents , Best Camp Stoves, and our Camp Cooking guide.

• Best for Backpackers : Mountain Hardware Bishop Pass 15
• Best for Car Campers: REI Siesta Hooded 20
• Best All-in-One Sleep System: Zenbivy Bed
• Best Ultralight: Sea to Summit Spark 15
• Best for Side Sleepers: Therm-a-Rest Questar 20
• Best for Warm Weather: Marmot NanoWave 45
• Best For Spring and Fall Trips : Magma 15 Sleeping Bag
• Best Expedition Bag : Rab Expedition 1000
• Best Quilt : Therm-a-rest Vesper 32
• Best for Kids : REI Kindercone
• Best Synthetic Bag : Marmot Ultra Elite 20

How to Pick the Perfect Sleeping Bag

How we tested.

• What All The Terms Mean

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The Best Sleeping Bag for Backpackers

Photograph: Scott Gilbertson

Mountain Hardware's Bishop Pass 15 offers the best warmth-to-weight ratio while also managing to pack down small and not be too expensive. It isn't perfect, but it strikes the best compromise for most backpackers, being warm enough for the shoulder seasons and light enough (2 pounds and 5.4 ounces) that you won't mind it even when you barely need it in the summer. I have slept in this bag for more than two weeks, with nighttime temps ranging from 28 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit, and, yes, it was too much in the heat as a sleeping bag. But on those warmer nights, I unzipped it and covered myself like a warm blanket. For everything else, I slept very well. It's a versatile bag.

The Bishop Pass 15 uses 650-fill-power down wrapped in a 20-denier water-resistant ripstop nylon shell. (Note: You'll often see 20-denier written as 20D; see below for more on what those terms mean .) One of the great things about this bag is the draft collar and face gasket feature, which does a great job of keeping your head warm. With the drawcord cinched down, you can conserve even more body heat. This is one of the few bags I've tested where I didn't feel the need for a hat. The insulation does a good job of staying where it should; I didn't find any bad cold spots in this bag.

My only gripe about this bag is that it's tight—there's not much room for anything but me. That makes it efficient and keeps you warmer, but this is not a good option if you're looking for something roomy (see the Therm-a-Rest Questar below). I also don't love the zipper. The pull glows in the dark, which is great, and the zipper doesn't snag much, but in my experience, it also doesn't pull as easily as others. Still, those are minor gripes about a bag that gets the rest right.

• Temp rating: 15°F / -9°C
• Comfort rating: 26°F / -3°C
• Fill: 650 Fill-Power Down

The Best Sleeping Bag for Car Campers

Photograph: REI

Car-camping sleeping bags aren’t a place to spend lots of money. Should your best efforts to cocoon warmth around you fail, there is, after all, a car to retreat to. That's why we love the REI Siesta Hooded 20—it's plenty warm and affordable. It's also not a mummy bag, because you're not climbing Denali; why cramp yourself if you don't have to? The Siesta's rectangular cut makes for a much roomier, more comfortable bag. The Siesta is made of recycled polyester throughout, with a polyester filling. Despite that, the lining on this bag is noticeably softer than many others in this guide.

The Siesta's 20-degree rating makes it enough for three-season trips, and unlike most rectangular bags, the Siesta has a hood, which helps on those cold nights. What makes this such a versatile bag, though, is the double zipper system. There's a full-length zipper, which means you can turn it into a quilt on warmer nights, and there's also a second partial-length zipper on the other side so you can have more airflow when you want it. (You can also now zip two Siestas together, which wasn't possible with earlier versions.)

• Temp rating: 20°F / -6°C

Best All-in-One Sleep System

Photograph: Zenbivy

The Zenbivy Bed 25 ( 9/10, WIRED Recommends ) is hands down the most comfortable backcountry sleeping experience I've ever had. It wouldn't be my top pick for extreme situations, but so long as your expected temperatures fit in Zenbivy's range, it doesn't get more comfortable than this. The Zenbivy isn't just a sleeping bag though. It's a sheet, hood, and quilt-style bag that can be combined in various ways depending on what you want.

The top sheet that covers the sleeping pad is made of 50-denier polyester pongee, which is wonderfully soft and feels like your bed at home . The sheet has the hood portion of the sleeping bag attached to it. Then you lay the top quilt (made of 20D nylon) over that. This is the coolest, loosest way to use the system, perfect for those warm nights. This is how I did most of my testing since I sleep rather warm. Should the temperature drop, you can zip the quilt foot box up into a mummy bag configuration and zip the upper sides to the bottom sheet. I did this on a couple of cooler nights in the Keweenaw Peninsula when it got quite frigid.

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What I didn’t like as much is the sleeping pad that comes with the full Zenbivy Bed. It’s plenty comfortable, but it’s also heavy. I used it for a few car camping trips, but if you’re primarily interested in backpacking, skip it and find something lighter in our sleeping pad guide . I tested the 25F bag, but there's also a 10F version if you want something warmer.

If you're done with mummy bags and aren't planning extreme mountaineering trips, the Zenbivy is worth considering; it is the best night's sleep I've ever had in the backcountry.

• Temp rating : 25°F / -4°C
• Comfort rating: 35°F / 2°C
• Fill : 700 Fill-Power Hydrophobic Down

Best Ultralight Sleeping Bag

The Sea to Summit Spark 18 is my favorite ultralight sleeping bag. Sure, most ultralight enthusiasts use a quilt, but aside from the Zenbivy, I haven't found a quilt I like. The Spark weighs a mere 1 pound 9.7 ounces, the lightest bag in this guide. It also has the smallest pack size of any bag I've tested in this temperature range. With the included compression sack, this thing is truly tiny. It's got most of the benefits of a quilt and none of the negatives (like getting a bit uncomfortable on chilly fall nights), making it a good option for thru-hikers or anyone wanting to save ounces.

I should say that the Sea to Summit Spark series bags were recently updated from the version I tested last year. The temperature rating has been bumped down 3 degrees, but the main difference addressed the one thing I dislike about the version I tested: The thin inner liner has been modestly upgraded to 10D nylon. The outer shell uses a PFC-free DWR coating on 10D nylon. It's still thin, and I suggest you baby this one, but even my thinner version has held up just fine. We've been testing Spark bags since 2018, when our tester took one to Comic-Con , and haven't had any durability issues.

The down fill is also PFC-free and made of 850+ hydrophobic down. The zippers are on the small side, but they slide well and rarely if ever snag on the bag. I've slept in this bag down to 30 degrees, and honestly, even that night I woke up hot. But this is more a testament to how hot I sleep than bag performance (which is good). Like the bishop pass, this is a tight-fitting bag. It's plenty comfy, but you need to love the mummy shape.

While I have tested the 18-degree model (replaced by the new 15F), there is a whole range of Spark's: 45F, 30F, 15F, and 0F. At $549, the Spark 15 is not cheap, but high-end, ultralight gear typically comes with a hefty price tag. If you have extra cash, the Spark Pro line is worth considering as well. I haven't tested it yet, but the full-length zipper that allows the bag to become more like a quilt is interesting.

• Temp rating : 15°F / -9°C
• Comfort rating: 29°F / -2°C
• Fill : 850 Fill-Power Goose Down

Best for Active/Side Sleepers

I once made the mistake of calling a sleeping bag a “mummy bag” in front of my then 8-year-old who exclaimed, “What? Who would want to be a mummy?” Good question, kid. The answer is no one. The “mummy” design is all about warmth, not comfort. But let's face it—most of us are not sleeping in situations where our survival is at stake. Therm-a-Rest has addressed this with what it calls W.A.R.M. fit, which stands for “with additional room for multiple” positions. Indeed, this bag is very roomy for a mummy design. I was able to draw my legs up when side-sleeping and spread out considerably more than with most of the other bags in this guide. If you toss and turn through the nights, and don't want a quilt-style bag, this would be my top pick.

The Questar uses a 20D Polyester DWR-coated outer shell fabric, which does a great job of helping the bag stay dry even when your feet press up against the walls of the too-small tent you're testing . The inside is nylon taffeta. This bag comes with Therm-a-Rest's SynergyLink Connectors, which you can use to secure the sleeping bag to the pad underneath. This, combined with the slightly wider cut, makes this one of the more comfortable bags I've used.

Weighing 2 pounds, 3 ounces, it isn't the lightest bag at this temperature rating, but it is one of the warmest. Therm-a-Rest comfort-rates this bag to 32 degrees, but I used it several nights in Michigan's Porcupine Mountains in temps down to 25 and found it plenty warm. The Questar series is also available in 32-degree and 0-degree versions. We have not tested either, but if you're looking to save some weight and know you won't be in extreme cold, the 32-degree model is worthwhile.

• Temp rating : 20°F / -6°C
• Comfort rating: 32°F / 0°C
• Fill : 650 Fill-Power Nikwax Hydrophobic Down

Best Warm-Weather Sleeping Bag

Photograph: Backcountry

Rated at 55 degrees, this is a warm-weather bag suitable for summers and not much else. It did a fine job keeping me warm on stormy Hawaiian nights camped on the beach, but I wouldn’t take it anywhere during the shoulder seasons. The synthetic insulation shrugged off the humid rainforest air and never became laden with moisture during the six days of beach camping I subjected it to. What blew my mind, though, was how teeny-tiny it packed down. Compressing it to a scant 2.75 liters, the 29-ounce bag wasn’t much bigger than my pair of water bottles. For under $100, that’s fantastic.

I’m used to dealing with dainty zippers on ultralight bags chosen for being small and lightweight. The zipper on the Nanowave 55 was comparatively normal-sized, worked smoothly, and never jammed or caught on the fabric. They worked like butter. Even if it somehow had, I wouldn’t have worried much about ripping the fabric, as it’s tougher and more robust than the expensive lightweight bags in vogue. You won’t have to baby this sleeping bag much. For the money, this is an excellent choice for anybody looking for a summer bag: casual car camper, festival-goer, or lightweight hiker. — Matt Jancer

Editor's note: the Nanowave 55 our tester used is discontinued. The Nanowave 45 featured is the same bag, but with slightly more insulation to give it a lower temp rating.

• Temp rating : 45°F / 7°C
• Comfort rating: 45°F / 7°C
• Fill : Synthetic

Best for Spring and Fall Trips

REI Co-Op's Magma 15 is a no-nonsense down sleeping bag. It doesn't have a lot of frills, it just gets the job done. It's the bag I most often grab for fall and early spring trips where cold weather may arrive unannounced. It has an excellent draft collar that’s very good at keeping out the chill.

The outside is a 15-denier nylon ripstop ( Bluesign approved , with a non-fluorinated DWR coating to keep moisture at bay). Baffles are variably spaced and not stitched through, which helps the fill stay put and minimizes cold spots. I also really like the Magma hood, which is warm and stays on your head throughout the night. There's a nice interior stash pocket I use to keep my headlamp handy.

The Magma series comes in a bewildering array of sizes and shapes—there are nine sizes to choose from, ranging from Short Narrow, which weighs 2 pounds, to Long Wide, which is nearly 3 pounds. One of my favorite features of this bag is the anti-snag zipper, which genuinely doesn't snag, because there's a woven barrier that keeps the down baffle away from the zipper. The zipper is also full-length, extending from the bottom of the foot box to the collar. REI also makes a 30-degree version of the Magma . I have not tested it, but if you only plan to go out in the summer months, that would be my suggestion.

• Comfort rating: 21°F / -6°C
• Fill: 850 Fill-Power Down

An Expedition-Worthy Bag

Photograph: Rab

Rab is an English brand, well regarded by European outdoor enthusiasts long before it came to the US. The Expedition 1000 is a -22 degree bag weighing a mere 3 pounds and 6 ounces, which is light for a bag of this warmth. Its 1,000 grams of 850-fill-power hydrophobic goose down gave me no issues retaining body moisture after sleeping in it for a week on Alaska’s Kahiltna Glacier. Even during a couple of whiteout blizzards where I had to dig my tent out of the snow in the morning, I slept like a baby, warm and cozy thanks to a well-designed neck baffle that kept warm air from escaping around my noggin.

The zippered interior stuff sack was large enough to keep a battery bank, contact lenses, lighter, and hand sanitizer handy throughout the night, and at 5'10", there was plenty of extra space inside the bag to keep my water bottles, boot liners, and yesterday’s damp socks to dry out. One thing I didn’t like was the main body zipper. Lightweight sleeping bags are susceptible to being caught in zipper teeth and tearing. Compared to Marmot’s flawless zippers, the Rab’s gave me some trouble, even though I habitually operated them as if I were handling a newborn. The problem is the fabric surrounding the zipper, which would get sucked into the teeth. It jammed badly enough one night that I thought I would have to sleep another three days with a bag stuck open. Lucky for me, someone had a Leatherman we used to fix it, but that shouldn’t have happened.

Unlike some competing bags, such as the Marmot Col, there are no zippered arm holes to let you stay snug in your bag while hanging out or doing basic tasks in your tent. I didn’t miss it on my weeklong climbing trip, but for longer expeditions where you might spend a whole day in your tent, it’d be nice to have arm holes. If you need an even warmer bag, there's the Expedition 1200 rated at -32 degrees and the Expedition 1400 rated at -40 degrees . — Matt Jancer

• Temp rating: -22°F / -30°C

A Quilt for Warmer Trips

Photograph: Amazon

Quilts are preferred by gram-counting backpackers because they dispense with the unhelpful half of a sleeping shell. The bottom side of a down sleeping bag gets mashed down anyway, meaning there's no lofted insulation for added warmth. The quilt market has no shortage of cottage quiltmakers serving ultralighters and hammockers—I bought a solid one off Etsy last year. Therm-a-Rest's top-of-the-line Vesper, though, has everything you could ask for in a lightweight quilt. The 32-degree version weighs less than a pound, and ratcheting down the included comprehension sack will get it to roughly the size of a Nalgene bottle.

Thanks to 900-fill down insulation, it was more than toasty enough for nights in the low 40s in the Canadian Rockies. The down is hydrophobic, though I didn't douse it for testing. The 32-degree Vesper is cut more generously than the 20-degree version and comfortably covers my larger body frame. This is the bag I would take on any backpacking trip—if you're pushing below this temperature, you'll want to build a system with layers.

• Temp rating : 32°F / 0°C
• Fill : 900 Fill-Power Hydrophobic Down

A warmer alternative : If you want to save a little cash on a Therm-a-Rest quilt and push the temp rating down well below freezing, consider the Therm-a-Rest Corus ($310) . This quilt uses less expensive 650-fill-power down (more on fill power here ), which drops the price by $100 while adding 20 degrees of comfort rating and just 10 ounces of weight, keeping the quilt well below 2 pounds. The Corus has a 20D nylon shell rather than the 10D found on the Vesper, which adds both weight and durability. I only pushed it into the low 40s in my testing but found I had to stick a foot out or I baked under it. I suspect the 20-degree rating might be on the conservative side. — Martin Cizmar

Kid-Friendly Sleeping Bags

Kids' sleeping bags are cut smaller so your little ones don't have to heat up a huge, adult-size sleeping bag to stay warm. While that's 100 percent true, let's be honest, a lot of the appeal of kid-size sleeping bags is the lower price. The REI Kindercone bag fills both needs, being cut to a smaller size and relatively cheap. I would take the temperature rating with a grain of salt though. There is no comfort rating, but if there were, my guess would be around 35 degrees.

The Kindercone makes a great car camping bag, and you can backpack with it, but it's awkward. I spent four nights in the Pisgauh Wilderness lugging this thing around for my son. It's heavy (3 pounds and 3 ounces) and huge. Our hiking distances weren't that long, so after one day of it hogging half my pack, I took to just carrying the Kindercone in my hand. As I said, it's best for car camping. For backpacking, I'd consider something that compresses a bit smaller, like the REI Co-Op Zephyr 25 ($149) .

While the Kindercone is a fine bag, once my kids hit about 4 feet, I put them in adult bags. I did so for two reasons. First, the temperatures we've camped in have mostly been warm enough that staying warm wasn't a concern—summers in the mountains and the Northwoods of Michigan. It's never cold enough that I'm worried about them in a 20-degree adult bag. The second reason is that sleeping bags last a long time and are a significant investment. I wanted something that would last them through their teens, however tall they might be. (Properly cared-for sleeping bags should last decades. I recently retired the North Face Blue Kazoo bag my parents bought me in 1992.) So do you need a to buy kids' bag? For younger kids, I would say yes; for older kids, probably not.

• Temp rating: -25°F / 4°C
• Fill: Polyester fibers

Our Favorite Synthetic Sleeping Bags

This was one of the first sleeping bags stuffed with synthetic insulation that could come close to goose down in terms of packability and weight. Even though synthetic insulation is improving every year, it’s traditionally bulkier than an equivalently warm amount of goose down. For me as an ultralight hiker and climber, the Ultra Elite 20 was a godsend. The bag is rated to 20 degrees Fahrenheit, and I’ve used it everywhere from Washington’s Cascade Mountains to Vermont’s forests to Texas’ high desert. It’s a workhorse sleeping bag, good for most trips taken outside of summer.

I greatly prefer synthetic insulation to goose down in a bag of this temperature rating. Near and above the freezing point—called “wet cold”—liquid water and melting ice are more of a danger to puffy insulation than very cold temperatures, where ice stays ice. Insulation also sucks up moisture from humid air like a sponge, reducing its effectiveness at keeping you warm. Synthetic insulation dries out much more quickly than goose down, and I’ve been on plenty of trips where my Ultra Elite 20 stayed dry and crisp as my buddies’ down bags grew perpetually damp and a touch soggy after three nights.

There’s a zippered interior pocket for keeping small items handy during the night, and Marmot’s zipper design is excellent. I’ve treated it with the care while zipping and unzipping that any lightweight bag demands, but I’ve never had a bad jam, and the fabric isn’t prone to catching on the teeth. At a shade under 2 pounds and only 6.7 liters compressed, it’s a regular in my pack for long-distance backpacking trips and casual car camping trips alike. Unfortunately, Marmot appears to have discontinued this bag; there are still some at retailers, but they likely won't last. — Matt Jancer

• Temp rating: -20°F / -7°C
• Comfort rating: 32.9°F / 0.5°C
• Fill: Synthetic

Photograph: Nemo

Nemo's Forte 20 is a 20-degree synthetic-fill sleeping bag. It's best used as a summer bag, possibly a three-season bag, depending on where you live. While it has 20 in the name and is technically rated to 20 degrees (see below for more on what that means), the comfort rating is 30 degrees. In my testing, this feels more like where you'd want to stay temperature-wise with this bag.

The outer shell uses a 30-denier recycled polyester ripstop with an inside liner made from 20-denier recycled polyester taffeta. It does a good job of holding back the moisture that often forms inside a tent, which I discovered after one very soggy night of testing. The fill is what Nemo calls Zerofiber insulation, which is made from 100 percent postconsumer recycled content fibers. The Zerofiber packs down remarkably small—this is the most compact synthetic-fill bag I've tested in this temp range—and retains its ability to trap warmth even when wet.

What I like most about this bag, and nearly all of Nemo's sleeping bags, is the wider cut through the torso area down to the knees. Like the Therm-a-Rest Questar above, this bag is almost a hybrid of a mummy bag and your father's good old 1970s square sleeping bag. Which is to say, this bag is roomy. The downside is that there's more dead space your body has to heat, but as someone who sleeps warm anyway, I'll take the extra room.

• Comfort rating: 30°F / -1.1°C

A sleeping bag is typically one of the most expensive pieces of camping gear you'll buy. If none of our picks strike your fancy, here are some general guidelines.

Are you car camping? Thru-hiking the PCT? Headed out overnight in the August heat? Plotting a winter ski traverse of the Karakoram Himalaya? Which sleeping bag is right for you depends on how you're going to use it, especially the temperatures you plan to camp or backpack in, and how you sleep—hot, cold, in between.

Unfortunately, there isn't an ideal sleeping bag that works in all climates. If you encounter a wide range of conditions in your camping, I would consider two bags. Get one nice down bag for colder conditions and a cheaper, lightweight synthetic-fill bag for summer use.

As with most things in the outdoor world, you're going to pay more for lightweight materials, so if you don't need them because, for example, you're just car camping, don't pay extra for an ultralight bag. Maybe don't even pay for a down bag. Synthetic bags are generally the best budget sleeping options for those camping in the heat.

By the same token, if you're primarily a summer hiker, doing the Appalachian Trail in sections, you don't need a 0-degree bag. Identify your use and then look for a sleeping bag that suits you best. Also, take the temperature rating with a grain of salt. Everyone sleeps differently. I almost always sleep warm, which means I don't need a 0-degree bag in anything but the harshest situation. My colleague Adrienne So is roughly the opposite and uses a 0-degree bag in 40-degree weather. Neither one of us is “right,” we've just learned to shop around how we sleep.

There are two types of insulation used in today's sleeping bags, down feathers and synthetic fibers. Down comes primarily from geese and ducks . Synthetics range from nylon to polyester. The insulation works by creating pockets of air, either through the structure of a feather or the structure of a synthetic fiber. These pockets of air then trap your body heat, keeping it close, and you warm. The more loft there is—the more air pockets there are—the warmer you will be and the lower the sleeping bag's temperature rating will be.

In most situations, a down sleeping bag is the superior choice. It's warmer for the weight, packs smaller, and is lighter. Where down fails is when it gets wet. Wet down is generally useless—all those air pockets that trap heat are gone. Synthetics on the other hand retain more warmth when wet. No one wants to sleep in a wet sleeping bag, but if you think that's a possibility, synthetic is the way to go.

In recent years down has been challenged with what's marketed as hydrophobic or “dry down,” which is treated with water-repellent coatings that cause the feathers to repel water. In our experience testing, these bags do better than regular down when wet, and in many cases, they're as good as synthetics. The trade-off is that when dry, they don't have quite the loft of regular down. If you're worried about water and want to stick with down, hydrophobic down is the best choice.

There is also the ethical question of down. Most down is a byproduct of the food industry. The Responsible Down Standard tries to ensure that down is ethically sourced, but PETA has shown that it's far from perfect. We leave that judgment call to you, but before you rush off to buy a synthetic, remember that it involves plenty of hazardous chemicals and questionable factory working conditions.

After the type of insulation, it's worth considering these factors.

• Temperature rating:  Choose a sleeping bag rated a little bit lower than the lowest temperature you expect to encounter. If you're a three-season backpacker in the southern US, the lowest you're likely to hit is around freezing, so I'd suggest a 20-degree bag. If you sleep cold, you might go down more to 10 degrees.
• Fill power : This means how much insulation is in the bag. The higher the fill-power number the warmer the bag will be. See our fill power explainer for more information.
• Weight:  If your backpacking weight is important, you want to stay as light as you can while still staying warm. Make sure to compare bags with the same temperature rating and ideally the same fill power—otherwise, you're making an apples-to-oranges comparison.
• Design and features: Remember to consider the extras. Do you want a full-length zipper? Do you want a full hood? Or a way to strap your bag to your pad? How about stash pockets? Sleeping bags can have quite a bit of functionality beyond keeping you toasty.
• Your overall sleep setup : How effective your sleeping bag is, and how warm you stay, also depends on factors like your sleeping pad and which tent you're using. See our Best Sleeping Pads and Best Tents guides for more advice on which suits you best.
• Women’s sleeping bags : Our female testers have generally found very little difference between sleeping bags for men and those for women. Many manufacturers no longer make separate bags for women, but if that's something you want to look into, we suggest Sea to Summit, which makes a range of women's sleeping bags .

All our testing was done in the field in tents. Collectively our testers have more than 11 decades of experience in the wilderness. To test these bags, we hiked Alaskan peaks, Texas deserts, Hawaiian beaches, Michigan's Keweenaw Peninsula, and a range of other locations and conditions across the country. It's a rough life, but someone has to do it. This is not to say it's all fun and games—just ask my kids who've had to lie still many a morning while I zapped around their sleeping bags with an infrared thermometer looking for cold spots.

With a mix of body types and sleeping habits, we've been able to test which bags will keep even the coldest sleepers warm and which won't make those of us who sleep hot wake up sweating. Our picks are based on first-hand experience testing in the field on real trips (alas, we don't get paid to tromp around the wilderness). We take into account the warmth, how packable a bag is, how much it weighs, and how well it stands up to life on the trail or in the trunk.

What All the Terms Mean

Probably the most common question about sleeping bags is, “What temperature-rating sleeping bag should I get?” That's a good question, answered above, but it begs another question: What do those temperature ratings mean? There are often two ratings associated with temperature: temperature rating and comfort rating.

Temperature rating is done using standardized tests overseen by the International Standards Organization (ISO), the same group that oversees things like programming languages and electrical standards. If you're in Europe, you might also see EN (European Norm) temp ratings. These are close enough to ISO ratings that you can compare them. ISO temperature ratings are done in a lab using standardized equipment under more or less ideal conditions. They also use base layers on the dummy. In the end, ISO temps are a means of comparison, but they don't mean that you will be warm at whatever temperature rating is given.

Comfort rating is more subjective. This is the temperature at which someone who sleeps cold will still feel comfortable. So if you tend to sleep cold, the comfort rating is the one to pay attention to. Incidentally, this is the rating given to most women's sleeping bags, because according to the industry, the average woman will feel colder than the average man in a bag with the same temp rating.

Beyond knowing what the terms mean, also know this: Ratings are not precise. Our advice for those heading into snowy conditions where warmth is critical is to buy a bag rated 10 to 15 degrees colder than the coldest temps you expect to encounter.

There are more types of nylon out there than anyone can keep track of, which is where the denier rating system comes from. Denier is a measure used in fabrics that is based on the linear density of a fabric. The linear density is calculated by measuring how heavy the material is (in grams) for a length of 9,000 meters. Glad we cleared that up.

Wait what? 9,000 meters of what now? It turns out there are forms of fabric so thin it helps to have that much material to get a reliable weight out of them. The important takeaway is that denier means fabric weight. The higher the number, the thicker the fabric. Fun word nerd trivia: The word denier comes from the Latin word “Denarius,” which was a Roman coin.

In the case of sleeping bags, denier ratings for the nylon used typically run in the 10D to 40D range, though I have tested a few with single-digit-denier nylon. Also, watch out for all sorts of trademarked names for fabric. These have nothing to do with how thick or durable they are, they're just marketing. In my experience, testing over two dozen sleeping bags, 10D fabric is fine for a sleeping bag so long as you don't abuse it.

We covered what hydrophobic down is above, but there are a couple of other acronyms you'll see thrown around. The main two are DWR and PFC-free. DWR stands for “durable water repellent.” This waterproofness is commonly achieved through the use of a perfluorinated compound, better known to most of us as PFC. PFC-free means the waterproof coating on the down (or sometimes the nylon as well) doesn't contain any PFCs. Alternatives include wax, silicon, and sometimes plant-based sealants. Because waterproofness isn't as critical in sleeping bags (compared to a rain jacket ), there's usually no difference between PFC-free sleeping bags and those that aren't. We try to recommend only PFC-free sleeping bags.

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7 Best Sleeping Bags for 2022

Megan Johnson

Megan is a Senior Editor, SEO for SmarterTravel Media.

Megan started with SmarterTravel Media’s Airfarewatchdog way back in 2008, moved over to FamilyVacationCritic, and finally SmarterTravel in 2021. Originally from Massachusetts, she has lived in Nova Scotia, London, and New York City. She has spent nearly every summer (or at least part of it) on Prince Edward Island. She has started to go out of her comfort zone while traveling- most recently exploring caves and boogie boarding on a FlowRider.

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While tents are one of the most important items of camping gear that you need, a close second is your sleeping bag. Whether you are looking for something to take with you on a serious backpacking adventure, or you’re a first-time camper, we’ve got you covered. Here are the best sleeping bags for camping. 

The Best Sleeping Bags for 2022

Best budget sleeping bag: coleman sun ridge 40° warm weather sleeping bag.

Costing less than $30, this sleeping bag from Coleman is 100% polyester, and is everything you need for summer camping. Lightweight, with Coleman’s ComfortCuff fabric trim along the edges surrounds your face with softness, for an ultimate nights sleep. With a QuickCord, no tie closure, there is no fuss or frustration when packing up. Fits campers up to 5’11 tall. 

Best Down-Alternative Sleeping Bag: Marmot Trestles 30 

This sleeping bag from Marmot is filled with SpiraFil high-loft insulation, a synthetic alternative to the typical down sleeping bag, yet will keep you toasty even when it dips to 30 degrees. With dual zippers, an anti-snag main zipper and a fold down zipper for easy access, you’ll feel snug and secure. An inner zippered pocket is perfect for small personal items you want to keep close while you sleep. 

Best Mummy Sleeping Bag: Nemo Kayu Sleeping Bag

The Kayu sleeping bag from Nemo is ultra lightweight, and with Nemo’s Thermo Gills™ design, you can ”regulate temperature without letting in drafts, deeply extending the useable temperature range.” It’s waterproof hood and footbox will keep you dry on rainy nights, and the 800 FP Down is 100% Responsible Down Standard (RDS) certified, and is super packable. Added bonus? Sleeping bags can be zippered together to create a double sleeping bag, for extra warmth or extra snuggles! Available in men’s and women’s sizes. 

The Ultimate Camping Packing List: 29 Essentials

Best All-In-One Sleeping Bag: North Face the One Bag 

If you camp all-year round, and would rather have one bag you can use no matter the weather, look no further than the North Face The One Bag . This patent-pending interchangeable design allows you to convert the sleeping bag to whatever you need. On mild nights, you can simply use the outer layer by itself, use the mid layer for cooler nights, and both layers for the coldest of nights (recommended for 5 degrees or warmer). The mid layer also doubles as a shawl, so you can stay warm while sipping your coffee in the morning. Available in regular or long sizes. 

Best Sleeping Bag for Kids: Kelty Kids Callisto 30

Whether for sleepovers or camping, the Kids Callisto Sleeping Bag from Kelty will keep kids comfy and cozy. With Cloudloft™ insulation, kids will stay warm even when it gets down to 30 degrees out. It’s durable, and it comfortably fits kids up to 5 feet tall, so it’s sure to last most of their childhood! 

Best Sleeping Bag for Side Sleepers: Big Agnes Sidewinder 

This sleeping bag from Big Agnes is designed specifically for side sleepers, so you really can’t go wrong. Its unique design, water-repellent coating, and a zipper that stays out of the way, creating the way for a perfect night of sleeping under the stars. Available in various warmths, as well as men’s and women’s. 

10 Essential Safety Tips for Camping This Summer

Best Sleeping Bag for Backpacking: Western Mountaineering MegaLite Sleeping Bag

For serious backpackers only! This sleeping bag from Western Mountaineering is not for the casual camper. Folding up to just 6 inches by 12 inches for the smaller size (5 feet, 6 inches), and 7 inches by 12 inches for the bigger (6 feet, 6 inches), and weighing less than 2 lbs, it doesn’t take up a lot of space, nor does it add a lot of weight to your backpack- making it ideal for serious backpackers. Water-resistant, and a mummy shape with wider waist and shoulder, giving you plenty of room to move around while you sleep. 

Best Double Sleeping Bag: The North Face Eco Trail Bed Double 20

For couples who like to snuggle, singles who want extra room, or even if you just want your dog to be able to sleep with you, the North Face Eco Trail Double sleeping bag is what you are looking for. Made from fully-recycled materials, with an internal pocket for your phone or other small personal items, this double sleeping bag fills all of your co-sleeping needs. Available in regular and long lengths. 

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The Best Travel Sheets and How to Choose One for Your Trip

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Sleeping bag liners and travel sheets are an essential part of getting a good nights sleep during your travels. Because there are so many to choose from, we have rounded up some TFG favorites!

Best Travel Sheets

Table of contents.

There are many benefits to using a set of travel sheets or a sleeping bag liner.

Sleeping bag liners for travel guarantee a certain level of cleanliness, particularly if you will stay at budget accommodations (which might require some additional cleanliness measures).

With travel sheets, you may experience more comfortable sleep and stay warmer or cooler, depending on your needs. They also can help you avoid bugs and bites during adventure travels!

You can choose from different fabrics and styles to find your perfect fit. Silk, polyester, cotton, and even microfiber fabric sheets and liners are available. Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about travel sheets and sleeping bag liners.

Silk Sleeping Bag Liners

The Friendly Sleeping Bag Liner

Compact Sleeping Bag Liner

This compact little travel sleep sheet is perfect if you need something small and portable. The Friendly is a pocket-sized sleep sheet that weighs less than your typical can of soup (8.3 ounces), which makes it easy to pack, because it doesn’t take up a lot of space or add a lot of weight to your luggage!

The Friendly is one of the best sleeping sacks for adults due to its small size and the fact that it spans over 5 feet 5 inches in length. It’s silky-smooth, durable, and machine washable ó so after you get home from your trip you can throw it right into the machine.

The Friendly is an excellent choice for those looking for a small pocket-sized travel sheet for on the go!

Packing cubes will completely change how you pack!

Sea to Summit Premium Silk Travel Liner

Riptop Silk Travel Sheet

If you’re looking for a larger travel sheet but still need it to be compact, then the Sea to Summit might be perfect for you. The Sea to Summit is a silk sleeping sack made with ripstop silk, so it’s soft and smooth. Plus, it adds up to 10 degrees of warmth, making it great if you often feel a little cold.

You’ll have to sacrifice a tad bit of weight to pack this silk sleep sack, it weighs in at 25 ounces, making it about as heavy as two soup cans. But what you give up for in weight you get back in the size as it sits 73 by 73 inches (or 6 feet both ways).

This travel sleep sack is machine washable and colorfast, meaning it won’t fade when you wash it. It’s also double-folded and has reinforced seams (durability, check).

The Sea to Summit is great if you’re looking for a compact silk travel liner that has a bit more size. Plus it comes in two colors: pacific blue and navy!

We round up the best ultralight backpacks !

Browint Silk/Cotton Travel Sheet with Double Zippers

Cozy Sleeping Bag Liner

The Browint Silk MummyLiner  is a chic silk sleeping sac that provides comfort and protection without sacrificing on style. This travel sleep sheet is made out of breathable silk that feels cool in the summer and cozy in the winter.

If you’re looking for color choices when it comes to your travel sheets , the Brownit has you covered. In addition to neutral colors (like green, khaki, and white) the Brownit has choices for the more adventurous travelers like crimson or purple.

The Brownit  travel sheet won’t take up much space in your bag, either. It weighs about the same size as an iPhone!

These are the best Osprey backpacks !

Vumos Silk Like Sleeping Bag Liner

Soft Silk Travel Liner

If you’re looking for a soft, silk sleeping sac, then look no further than the Vumos . Their sleep sheet is 100% polyester with a silk finish and is super ultra light-weight, weighing only 11.5 ounces.

If you’re looking for the best sleeping bag liner , then the Vumos is a great choice. It comes in four chic silky colors — black, blue, gray, and orange — opens on the side so you can slip right in, and has a length of 7 feet.

This silk travel liner is durable and machine-washable. It can also be recycled when its time is up (go green)!

A backpack organizer can help you pack in a flash!

Cotton Travel Sheets

Pike Trail Sleeping Bag Liner

Cotton Sleeping Bag Liner

Some travelers aren’t fans of the slip and feel of a silk sleep sheet, so if that describes you, the Pike Trail Sleeping Bag Liner might be just what you’re looking for. This travel sheet is made from 100% breathable cotton, so it is cool in the summer and warm in the winter, but feels more snuggly!

The Pike Trail sleeping bag liner comes in a variety of colors from bubble gum pink to metallic lavender and three different sizes, so you can pick and choose the best model for you. Plus this is one of those sleeping sacs for adults that is both durable and machine-washable, making it great for your travels and easy to clean.

This travel sleep sack is also compact and travels in a small polyester waterproof sac that is 7.5 by 6 inches when packed. It weighs about as much as a can of soup or your standard ceramic coffee mug, making it easy to cart along with you!

Learn how to choose the best travel backpack !

Silk Travel Sheets

Brave Era Naturally Hypoallergenic Silk Travel Sheet

Spacious Travel Sheets

The   Brave Era Travel Sheet is a spacious and soft silk sleeping bag liner . It’s 86 inches by 36 inches, able to fit a sleeper who is 6’6″ feet tall, making it perfect for you to stretch out and cuddle in, and you can slide your pillow right into the sheets built-in pillow pocket.

At 6 ounces, this silk sleep sac weighs a tiny bit more than your average billiard ball, and it comes packed in a small bag, making it perfect to put in your luggage or even handbag!

Brave Era sheets are 100% silk, meaning your travel sheets will be warm in cold weather and cool in warm. Plus they are machine washable, making them no hassle.

If you’re looking for a silk sleeping bag liner that offers a little extra legroom, is easy to care for, and will ensure you’re comfortable in any weather look no further than the Brave Era. 

Read more tips about how to create a functional but minimalist capsule wardrobe with Pack Light Stylishly !

Cocoon Silk Travel Sheets

Lightweight Travel Sheets

If the MummyLiner shape doesn’t suit you, Cocoon also makes traditional travel sheets. The Cocoon Silk TravelSheet also provides a chic silk sleeping bag liner that gives you just over 7 feet in length and a pocket for a pillow insert to ensure comfort while you sleep snuggled and protected.

The Cocoon travel sheet is a touch lighter than its MummyLiner counterpart, weighing a bit less than a D battery, and while it’s likely not noticeable to the touch it does shave a bit off your packing weight!

This silk sleeping bag liner is machine washable and has double-stitching to ensure durability. It also comes in cute colors so you can get a little wild with the sheets (check out the leaves pattern)!

Use a capsule wardrobe to pack light but create many outfits!

Polyester Sleeping Bag Liner

ALPS Mountaineering Brushed Polyester Rectangle Sleeping Bag Liner

Quick-Dry Sleeping Bag Liner

The ALPS sleeping bag liner  has made from a special type of polyester to keep you extra cozy. It is 33 inches by 80 inches, ensuring you can stretch out and get comfortable–especially for taller travelers.

The ALPS has a silk-like finish which means it is breathable and feels soft to the touch. It can be used as a lightweight sleeping bag on its own, or added to your traditional bag and used as a travel sleep sack to add between 5 and 10 degrees of extra warmth. Plus, it comes with a small stuff sack that won’t take up much room in luggage.

Follow these tips to clean your backpack!

Microfiber Sleeping Bag Liner

Coleman Stratus Adult Fleece Sleeping Bag Liner

Warm Sleeping Bag Liner

If you’re looking for a sleeping bag liner that will provide you with a little extra warmth on your next trip, then the Coleman Stratus  t ravel sleep sac is the model for you.

The Coleman Stratus travel liner is specifically designed to add extra warmth, making it perfect for your next cool destination. This is one of the best sleep sacks for adults headed out to a cold-weather destination or even somewhere you’ll be out in nature, as it’s insulated and can even double as a blanket when fully unzipped.

Learn to pack like a pro — carry-on only — with this video!

Best Travel Sheets Comparison Chart

[wpsm_comparison_table id=”90″ class=”center-table-align”]

What’s the Difference Between a Mummy and Regular Sleeping Bag Liner?

The only difference between a mummy and a regular sleeping bag liner is the shape . The shapes are based on different types of sleeping bags, since a sleeping bag liner is originally meant to be used inside it.

If you plan to use your sleeping bag liner as travel sheets, then the shape doesn’t make a whole lot of difference.

Who Should Travel with a Travel Sleep Sheet?

Travel sleep sheets are good for any type of traveler. But if you’re traveling on a budget or are headed out on a long-term trek — backpack-only — then a sleeping bag liner is a good idea. They’re also for you if you just need a little extra warmth!

Perhaps a travel sleep sheet is most important for those of us who are germaphobes or are sleeping at more highly trafficked but likely lower maintained venues, such as hostels.

Who Should NOT Use Sleeping Bag Liners?

We would not suggest sleeping sacks for adults who are claustrophobic, as you might feel uncomfortable when you have your travel sleep sack fully sealed.

Likewise, if you’re tall, you might not be comfortable in a sleeping bag liner ó check out our taller suggestions like the Yala Dreamsacks Silk Travel Liner that is 7 feet 9 inches long.

You are also less likely to need travel sheets if you’re staying at a hotel or resort, unless you’re a germaphobe or simply looking for more protection.

Should You Make Your Own Travel Sheets?

While there are options to DIY and make your own travel sheet, I wouldn’t recommend it unless you’re using silk fabric . Cotton is heavy and bulky, which you don’t want in a sleeping bag liner if you’re trying to pack light.

I traveled with a cotton travel sheet on my RTW trip , and it was three times the size of other travelers sheets, which were silk or microfiber! I bought my sheet at the time because it was the cheapest, but for a little more cash, I could have packed lighter and saved space (which is especially important on a long-term trip).

What’s the Best Fabric to Choose?

When it comes to picking out the best sleeping bag liner for you, we highly recommend avoiding cotton whenever possible because of its bulk and weight.

Microfibre blends are the most cost-effective, easy to wash, and lightweight to carry. I travel with one similar to this travel sheet and highly recommend it.

If you’re able to dish out a few extra dollars, then silk sleeping bag liners are the best sleeping bag liner choice. They are incredibly lightweight and tiny, making them easy to pack. Plus they’re breathable and adapt to the weather to keep you from being too hot or cold.

What’s my Recommended Sleeping Bag Liner?

We believe that all of the sleeping bag liners we’ve provided in the above list are exceptional choices for different travelers. But if you’re curious, my lightweight microfiber blend sleep sheet was purchased in the Lake District in England. It is most similar to this travel sheet .

What type of sleeping bag liner or travel sheets do you like to use? Share it in the comments below!

For more camping and hiking tips, please read:

• What to Bring on a Camping Trip?
• Best Hiking Shoes for Women
• Summer Camping Essentials Checklist
• What to Pack for a Trekking Holiday

LIKE THIS POST? PIN THIS PIC TO SAVE IT !

I hope you enjoyed this post on travel sheets. Please share it with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. Thanks for reading!

I like to be able to put my feet out of the sheet. Do any of these allow for 2 way zipping?

Hi Judy, thank you for your question! We’ll share your question here so the author of the article can reply!

Whats microfiber feel like? Texture sensitive

It’s very soft, in my opinion. Not like a fleece but not like a silk.

The problem with silk is it doesn’t stretch, so the bag tends to rip along the seams after a while. It would help if it was a stretch silk like they use for clothing but I haven’t seen one.

Stretch Silk would be a great option. Alternatively try the Microfiber Blends mentioned in the article 🙂

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8 Compelling reasons to pack a silk sleep sack

by Anne Betts | Apr 6, 2024 | Packing Light Travel Gear | 10 comments

Updated April 6, 2024

I confess. There are times at home when I’ve broken open my silk sleep sack because I crave sleeping in my personal cocoon of luxurious, natural silk. I bought it for camping, hiking huts, staying in hostels, and for times when the cleanliness of off-the-beaten-path accommodation might be suspect. These benefits aside, there are plenty of other reasons to pack a silk sleep sack  while travelling at home and abroad.

Table of Contents

What is a silk sleep sack?

Why silk what are the benefits, 1. regulates body temperature, 2. protects against biting insects, 3. offers trusted bedding, 4. saves money, 5. can be useful when plans change, 6. protects a sleeping bag, 7. oozes comfort, 8. silk is sustainable, what are the disadvantages of a silk sleep sack, my choice in a silk sleep sack, where to buy.

A silk sleep sack is a travel sheet or sleeping bag liner made of silk. Most liners come in mummy or rectangular styles. Some include an envelope to insert a pillow. 

• Silk is breathable, lightweight, packable, compact, and quick drying: perfect features for hikers and carry-on travellers.
• The extremely fine natural fabric feels soft against the skin. The smooth surface of silk is particularly important for sensitive skin or folks with skin allergies. Sericin, the natural gum that binds the silk cocoon together, contains many essential amino acids believed to contribute to healthy skin (much like lanolin in wool).
• Silk keeps skin dry. The hygroscopic silk fibre absorbs one third its own weight in moisture without feeling damp. The absorbed moisture is evaporated into the environment or absorbed by outer clothing or bedding layers.
• Silk is one of the safest fibres you can wear next to your skin because it is naturally flame resistant. Where synthetics melt, silk burns to harmless ash.
• Silk is biodegradable and will decompose easily in landfills.

Reasons to pack a silk sleep sack

When travelling in warm climates, a silk sleep sack can be used alone as a perfect lightweight alternative to a regular sleeping bag or bedding. You’ll feel cool and comfortable as your silk sleep sack keeps your skin dry and your temperature down.

When used inside a sleeping bag, a silk sleep sack adds warmth, working with you to keep your body temperature even. It provides an insulating layer that traps warm air next to the body. It also offers warmth when a fan or air-conditioning unit is working overtime. Estimates are that a silk liner can add up to 10 degrees Fahrenheit (approximately 5 degrees Celsius) of warmth.

In a nutshell, silk keeps you warm if you’re cold and cool if you’re hot.

The silk cocoon offers a measure of protection from biting insects. My silk sack came in handy in Marrakech when open windows of the hostel room let in a few bugs during the night.

If bed bugs are present, the tightly woven fabric may provide a barrier but there are no guarantees. Anecdotal evidence from hikers and travellers suggests that bites are reduced when a traveller is encased in a silk sleeping bag liner. The Mulberry Silk Company claims that silk bedding is inhospitable to bed bugs as the natural protein in silk repels both bed bugs and allergy-inducing bed mites.

Have you ever questioned the cleanliness or quality of the bedding at a hotel, hostel, or holiday accommodation? Do you wonder if the cleaning products will be harmful to your skin? A silk sleep sack, especially one with a pocket for a pillow, limits your contact with the provided bedding and any harsh detergents used in the laundering process..

Have you ever rented a sleeping bag? I did, for a three-day hike on New Zealand’s Banks Track . The hike was a small part of a three-month trip and renting a sleeping bag for 40 NZD was more appealing than packing my own and carrying it as dead weight for the other 85 days. The sleeping bags were laundered between guests but my silk sleep sack inside the rented sleeping bag added a significant amount of confidence that I’d made the right decision.

Do you trust the cleanliness of airplane blankets? If you think you’ll need extra warmth or privacy on a flight, toss your silk sleep sack in your personal bag just in case.  

Travellers on a limited budget or travelling for extended periods invariably choose budget accommodation at some point. Some charge extra for bedding and towels. Packing a silk sleep sack and travel towel result in considerable savings over time and offset the costs of the initial investment.

Being stuck in an airport overnight, or, heaven forbid, longer while waiting for your flight can be very uncomfortable. Slip into your silk sack for warmth, comfort, and to keep your purse, electronics, or other valuables hidden from prying eyes. 

Silk is recognized for its odour-resistant and moisture-wicking properties. It’s washable and dries quickly. Sleeping bags aren’t as easy to clean. After an energetic day of hiking with no shower in sight, oils from perspiration and general grunge from an active day transfer to the liner instead of the sleeping bag. When a silk sleep sack is consistently used as a liner between your body and the sleeping bag, the bag doesn’t need to be cleaned as frequently and this can extend its lifespan.

As I attempted to convey in the opening paragraph, the comfort of pure silk can’t be understated. After an exhausting day on the trails or an active travel day pounding city streets, sliding into the luxuriousness of 100% silk will set you up for a comfortable sleep. The soft silk is so soothing to the skin that it feels like a luxurious hug.

Sericulture (silk production) is organic, sustainable, and earth-friendly. Silk caterpillars have an exclusive diet of mulberry leaves from trees that produce year after year. The trees are replaced after eight years, after which they’re not such vigorous growers and the leaves aren’t so tasty to caterpillars.  Pesticides can’t be used on mulberry trees as silk caterpillars demand the purest and best quality leaves. Caterpillars are voracious eaters and their waste is used as fertilizer.

• A sleep sack made of silk can be pricey. My approach is to buy quality that’s built to last. Liners made of synthetic fibres are cheaper but they don’t hold a candle to the quality and features of 100% silk. Buying quality and taking care of it translates into many years of faithful service and savings in the long run.
• Climbing out of a liner when nature calls (and climbing back in) isn’t as easy as negotiating your way in and out from under a flat sheet or duvet.
• Some silk liners can be machine washed but for longevity, hand washing is preferable.

I purchased my silk sleep sack in 2013. After much research, I settled on the family-owned New Zealand company Silk Living, producers of the Silksak .

• I was attracted to the company’s commitment to sustainability, fair wages for the employees of its Asian-based suppliers, and its use of recycled packaging.
• Silk Living doesn’t add any treatments or flame retardants to improve anti-static, wash-and-wear, flame resistance, or anti-bacterial properties because their silk is already naturally endowed with these properties.
• I purchased the Pillow Silksak. What attracted me to this version is the built-in pillow envelope. A glorious layer of silk separates my head from the pillow nestled inside the pocket.
• Entry to the sleep sack is via a side-split opening with a gusset.
• A storage bag is attached. It will never go missing. I appreciate this feature.
• My Silksak takes up next to no room in my travel pack. It’s lightweight, compressible, compact, easily washed in the shower or a sink and dries very quickly.
• I like the rectangular (as opposed to mummy) style.
• Size: 86 cm (34 in) wide x 220 cm (87 in) long (including pillow slot)
• Weight: approximately 136 g (4.8 oz), including stuff bag
• It comes in a multitude of colours

Silk Living has produced a fascinating video of the production process from the rearing of silkworms to the making of silk garments.

The Pillow Silksak is available from Silk Living’s online store . It currently (2024) costs USD 72 plus shipping costs that vary depending on the destination.

It’s also available from other suppliers in New Zealand .

If you found this post helpful, please share it by selecting one or more social media buttons. How about you? Do you travel with a silk sleep sack? Please share your thoughts in the comments. Thank you.

Care to pin it?

This post is neither sponsored nor solicited. I’ve not received any requests, instructions, or rewards from the manufacturer. I purchased the product for my own use and paid the full price.

10 Comments

Sleeping in a silk sack sounds so luxurious! I’ve heard of silk pillowcases but not a sleep sack! It sounds like my kind of thing, I’m definitely going to check it out! Thanks for the great guide!

I’ve never heard of a silk sack, but now I need one! My next trip will be long and I’m sure budget oriented, so I may need some of those protections!

I haven’t heard of this kind of sleeping bag before. Thanks for sharing this informative post – I’ll have to look into it more.

I’ve never heard of this before! It sounds like it would be very useful as my skin is quite sensitive to random things!!!

Wow I’ve never heard of silk sacks. But it sounds like a really good investment, I really liked the fact that it is useful when hiking and camping and can reduce bug bites!!

So this is definitely something I didn’t even know I needed?!? Appreciate you including the drawbacks, too, as it does seem a bit more high maintenance than other materials!

This sounds super handy for travel! Seems like the ideal investment and I love that it doesn’t take up a lot of space either! It sounds super cozy – something I never knew about yet something I don’t think I can live without haha. Thanks for letting know about this!

This is so interesting. I’d like to see a picture of what it looks like with someone in it.

I haven’t heard of a silk sleep sack before but feel it’s something I need in my life after reading this. Thanks for sharing.

I can’t wait to try one of these. This was the first time I had heard of a silk sleep sack. It sounds wonderful!

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Hot Water Washable Travel Sleep Sack

Hot Water Washable Travel Sleep Sack - Body is backordered and will ship as soon as it is back in stock.

• Description
• Perfect for sleeping in hotels and camping
• AllerEase ® Lifetime Warranty
• Hot water washable, including temperatures above 120 degrees
• Zippered opening for easy in-out
• Product measures 42" x 93"
• Includes one (1) travel sleep sack

Fabric: Top Fabric: 100% Polyester Care Instructions: Machine wash hot, Only non chlorine bleach when needed, Tumble dry low heat, Remove promptly; Do not iron.

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16 top sleeping bags for backpacking and camping.

Stay cozy and warm on your next outdoor adventure with the perfect sleeping bag.

16 Top Sleeping Bags

Courtesy of Kelty

A sleeping bag can help achieve peak comfort on your outdoor getaway.

There's no better feeling than sinking into a warm sleeping bag after a long day spent in the great outdoors. Whether you're backpacking or enjoying an activity-filled backcountry camping adventure , a sleeping bag is one of the most essential items for your packing list . U.S. News editors researched dozens of review sites, including Amazon, online retailers, travel industry review sites and more, to come up with this selection of top sleeping bags for backpacking and camping.

Types of sleeping bags

When determining what sleeping bag to purchase, it's important to know where you'll be camping or backpacking, as well as what temperatures to expect. Keep in mind that higher elevations are often cooler even in the height of summer. For example, Rocky Mountain National Park – where elevation gets above 9,000 feet – often sees daytime temperatures in the 80s and nighttime temperatures in the 40s. (Note: All temperatures are given in Fahrenheit.)

Sleeping bags generally fall into three categories: three-season, winter or summer.

• Three-season sleeping bag: A three-season sleeping bag is the ideal choice for campers and backpackers in the spring, summer and fall. If you're expecting to brave the elements in temperatures that fall between 15 and 30 degrees at night, a three-season sleeping bag is the right option for you. Keep in mind that the lower limit rating given for a sleeping bag's temperature range is typically based on what might keep the average "warm sleeper" comfortable in that weather. By contrast, the comfort rating, which is a measure often used for women's bags, refers to the temperature a "cold sleeper" might feel comfortable at. In general, comfort levels will vary from person to person.
• Winter sleeping bag: If you're planning a backpacking or camping trip as a winter getaway , a winter sleeping bag is a must. Though they can be heavy and bulky, these durable sleeping bags are designed to handle freezing to subzero temperatures.
• Summer sleeping bag: A summer sleeping bag is the best choice for warm weather – meaning 30 degrees and higher. If you're new to camping or backpacking, consider a summer adventure before planning a more advanced trip in colder months.

What to consider when choosing the best sleeping bag for camping or backpacking

After you've selected the type of sleeping bag you want, it's time to think about its shape, insulation and style.

Sleeping bags come in a variety of shapes, the most popular of which are rectangular, mummy, semi-rectangular and double.

• Rectangular: If you'd like some room to stretch, consider a rectangular sleeping bag.
• Mummy: By contrast, mummy-style sleeping bags – smaller and more ideal for backpacking – hug the body, widening at the shoulders and thinning at the head, legs and feet.
• Semi-rectangular: Semi-rectangular sleeping bags, which are widest at the head and shoulders and thinnest at the feet, accommodate a range of body shapes and sizes, with more room to move around than mummy bags but less than rectangular.
• Double: These sleeping bags fit two people and are perfect for an outdoor couples getaway .

The kind of insulation is a critical factor, especially if you're backpacking and need to compress the sleeping bag into a backpack. There are two types of sleeping bag insulation: down and synthetic.

• Down: Down comes from the plumage under the feathers, right next to a goose or duck's skin. The quality is determined by fill power; for example, a 700-fill down sleeping bag lofts 700 cubic inches per ounce. In other words, the higher the fill power, the warmer you'll be. Down-filled sleeping bags might be more expensive, but they're also often more lightweight, durable and compressible.
• Synthetic: Consider a synthetic sleeping bag for affordability, or if you plan to venture in a wet climate – like in Acadia National Park or Everglades National Park – as synthetic bags continue to insulate even when wet, unlike down. You can also purchase a down/synthetic blended bag for the best of both worlds: the comfort of down paired with the affordability of synthetic.

The style of a sleeping bag can widely vary. If you're taking the children on an outdoor family vacation , make sure to purchase a kids sleeping bag. Campers seeking maximum comfort, meanwhile, should purchase a sleeping bag that comes with a pillow. Consider a sleeping bag with legs – otherwise known as a wearable sleeping bag – for both warmth and mobility. And if you feel claustrophobic in a traditional sleeping bag, a backpacking quilt might be the best fit for you.

The Top Sleeping Bags for Backpacking and Camping

Best sleeping bags by type, best overall sleeping bag: the north face one bag sleeping bag, best three-season sleeping bag: kelty cosmic 20 degree down sleeping bag, best winter sleeping bag: alps outdoorz redwood -25° sleeping bag, best summer sleeping bag: sea to summit flame ultralight 48f sleeping bag, best sleeping bags by shape, best mummy sleeping bag: teton sports leef mummy sleeping bag, best rectangular sleeping bag: coleman sleeping bag.

• Best Semi-Rectangular Sleeping Bag: NEMO Disco 15 Sleeping Bag Men's and Women's

Best Double Sleeping Bag: The North Face Dolomite One Double Sleeping Bag

Best sleeping bags by insulation, best down sleeping bag: kelty galactic 30 degree down sleeping bag, best synthetic sleeping bag: the north face eco trail synthetic 20 sleeping bag, best down/synthetic blend sleeping bag: marmot warmcube gallatin sleeping bag: 20f down.

• Best Lightweight Sleeping Bag : Therm-a-Rest Questar 0F/-18C Lightweight Down Mummy Sleeping Bag

Best Sleeping Bags by Style

Best kids sleeping bag: big agnes 15-degree sleeping bags for kids, juniors & teens, best sleeping bag with pillow: hihiker camping sleeping bag + travel pillow w/compact compression sack, best sleeping bag with legs: selk'bag lite recycled 6g wearable sleeping bag, best camping quilt: rei co-op magma trail quilt 30.

(Note: Prices were accurate at the time this article was updated; they may fluctuate due to supply chain issues.)

This mummy sleeping bag features multiple layers that make it the perfect bag for any season. The lightweight synthetic layer is all that's needed for warm weather in the range of 40 degrees or higher, while the 800-fill down mid-layer is a must if temperatures fall to 20 degrees. Combine both the layers for a winter sleeping bag that can handle 5-degree temperatures. If you're using the mid-layer on its own, you can even roll the synthetic outer layer into a pillow. Reviewers love the bag's versatility and say it's easy to change between the layers, but some caution that it doesn't pack down as small as other bags with a comparable temperature rating.

[ The North Face One Bag Sleeping Bag: $300 or less. View deal .]

Insulated with water-resistant down (called DriDown) that ensures a high warmth-to-weight ratio, this Kelty sleeping bag keeps its wearer warm and cozy in cold weather as low as 20 degrees. The bag also features a draft collar and insulated hood to avoid heat loss, a two-way locking no-snag zipper and a small pocket for electronics. The shell fabric is made of soft but durable nylon taffeta. At 2 pounds, this mummy bag is a great choice for backpacking in three different seasons. Purchasers of the bag confirm that this Kelty product is warm and snug, though some reviews warn it can be difficult to zip.

[ Kelty Cosmic 20 Degree Down Sleeping Bag: $169.95 or less. View deal .]

Courtesy of ALPS OutdoorZ

If you're planning on sleeping in subzero temperatures, the ALPS Outdoorz Redwood -25° Sleeping Bag is for you. This rectangular sleeping bag includes a cotton canvas outer layer and a 100% cotton flannel liner to keep in maximum heat. Because it's made for freezing or near-freezing temperatures, this 13-pound winter sleeping bag is large and not meant for backpacking. (If you're looking for something a bit lighter, consider the ALPS OutdoorZ Redwood -10° Sleeping Bag , which weighs 11 pounds, 8 ounces.) Recent buyers confirm the bag is best for car camping and rave about its warmth.

[ ALPS OutdoorZ Redwood -25° Sleeping Bag : $249.99 or less. View deal .]

Courtesy of Sea to Summit

Weighing only 12.3 ounces (or 13.9 ounces for the longer size), this Sea to Summit semi-rectangular sleeping bag is perfect for warm weather backpacking trips – in a California national park , for instance. The ultralight bag includes 850-fill water-resistant down that allows for the bag to pack down small. If you're heading out on a colder trip, you can even use this bag as a liner for another sleeping bag. Summer campers and backpackers recommend this product, citing its comfort and coziness.

[ Sea to Summit Flame Ultralight 48F Sleeping Bag: $359 or less. View deal .]

Courtesy of TETON Sports

If your feet tend to get cold in the outdoors, the TETON Sports Leef Mummy Sleeping Bag is the bag for you with its added insulation in the foot box. The sleeping bag also features a three-piece hood you can pull in around your face, as well as a full-length zipper draft tube to keep warm air in. Purchasers of this bag appreciate its relative affordability and recommend it for both casual and serious backpacking trips.

[ TETON Sports Leef Mummy Sleeping Bag: $89.99 or less. View deal .]

With more than 5,000 five-star ratings on Amazon, the synthetic Coleman Sleeping Bag is sure to please. This summer sleeping bag is built to withstand temperatures of 30 degrees or higher and includes a tricot fiber blend liner with a polyester cover. The built-in ZipPlow system allows for snag-free zipping. Reviewers comment that the bag is of good quality for the price.

[ Coleman Sleeping Bag: $39.99 or less. View deal .]

Best Semi-Rectangular Sleeping Bag: NEMO Disco 15 Sleeping Bag

Recommended for side sleepers, this rectangular NEMO Disco sleeping bag includes 650-fill down, nylon shell fabric with a durable water-repellent finish, Thermo Gills to vent body heat and more. The men's left-side zippers can even connect to the women's right-side zippers, creating a double bag. Recent users praise the numerous features, though some warn that the bag runs cold.

[ NEMO Disco 15 Sleeping Bag: $319.95 or less. View deal for men's and women's .]

On your next romantic getaway to a state or national park , consider a double bag to share with your significant other. The Dolomite One Double Sleeping Bag features two layers: The top synthetic layer works for warm temperatures at 50 degrees or higher, while the middle synthetic layer – which is lined with soft fleece – keeps you and your partner cozy when it's 30 degrees out. Combining the layers creates a bag with a temperature rating of 15 degrees. Adventuring couples love the layers and find the bag to not be too warm with two people sharing it.

[ The North Face Dolomite One Double Sleeping Bag: $250 or less. View deal .]

This rectangular-shaped bag with a fill power of 550 features a built-in anti-snag zipper design and double zippers to allow for venting at the feet. What's more, Galactic sleeping bags can be zipped together to create a double bag for you and your partner, friend or dog. At 2.45 pounds, this Kelty Galactic product is a great choice for backpacking. Outdoor enthusiasts say the bag is lightweight and packs small, though there are better options for longer thru-hiking.

[ Kelty Galactic 30 Degree Down Sleeping Bag: $95 or less. View deal .]

Made of recycled synthetic insulation, this mummy bag features a draft collar to trap warmth, tie-down loops for securing the bag to a sleeping pad, and a wraparound J-zipper for increased mobility and ventilation. Because this bag is synthetic – a great choice for damp climates – consider taking it on a beach camping or backpacking trip. Recent buyers praise the bag's comfort but find the lack of compression disappointing.

[ The North Face Eco Trail Synthetic 20 Sleeping Bag: $139 or less. View deal .]

This three-season mummy sleeping bag includes down insulation along with a synthetic insulation outer layer. An anatomical foot box, as well as a full-length zipper draft tube, protect against heat loss. If you're looking for a comparable winter sleeping bag, consider the Marmot Warmcube Expedition Sleeping Bag: -30F Synthetic . Campers recommend trying Marmot's Warmcube technology, which works to warm faster than an average sleeping bag, if you're not sure whether to buy a down or synthetic sleeping bag.

[ Marmot Warmcube Gallatin Sleeping Bag: 20F Down: $408.95 or less. View deal .]

Best Lightweight Sleeping Bag: Therm-a-Rest Questar 0F/-18C Lightweight Down Mummy Sleeping Bag

For a cold weather bag, weighing just above 2 pounds is an accomplishment. This mummy sleeping bag features responsibly sourced down that's also hydrophobic. As a lightweight winter sleeping bag, this Therm-a-Rest product is perfect for backpacking and backcountry camping at higher elevations. Purchasers of this bag confirm its ability to protect you from the cold, with some even mentioning being too warm when temperatures dipped into the 20s.

[ Therm-a-Rest Questar 0F/-18C Lightweight Down Mummy Sleeping Bag: $449.95 or less. View deal .]

Courtesy of Big Agnes

Don't forget sleeping bags for the kids on your next family adventure in the great outdoors. The Big Agnes 15-Degree Sleeping Bag fits kids up to 4 feet, 5 inches; it includes a variety of features for maximum warmth and comfort, including a no-draft collar, a no-draft zipper, a contoured hood and a pad sleeve for securing the bag to a sleeping pad. Parents recommend the sleeping bag for both camping and backpacking, appreciating that the bag keeps their children cozy and warm.

[ Big Agnes 15-Degree Sleeping Bags for Kids, Juniors & Teens: $119.95 or less. View deal .]

This rectangular sleeping bag is made of polyester and includes a packable and lightweight pillow. Double-sided zippers allow for venting, while heat retention technology keeps in warmth. Recent reviewers appreciate the price and emphasize that this sleeping bag is best for camping as opposed to backpacking.

[ HiHiker Camping Sleeping Bag + Travel Pillow w/Compact Compression Sack: $49.95 or less. View deal .]

Courtesy of Selk'Bag

If you'd like a sleeping bag's warmth as well as the ability to walk around, a wearable sleeping bag is the right choice for you. Much of this Selk'Bag sleeping bag – including the shell fabric, linings, zippers and insulations – is made with 100% postconsumer recycled material fibers. Campers enjoy wearing this around the campsite, and even around the house during the winter.

[ Selk'Bag Lite Recycled 6G Wearable Sleeping Bag: $149 or less. View deal .]

If you feel too uncomfortable or claustrophobic in a sleeping bag, consider purchasing a camping quilt. The REI Co-op Magma Trail Quilt has a temperature rating of 30 degrees and offers a trapezoidal foot box for maximum warmth and comfort, as well as pad cords to help keep you centered on your sleeping pad throughout the night. The shell fabric includes durable water repellent to protect the 850-fill, responsibly sourced down inside. Outdoor adventurers highly recommend this lightweight quilt-style product for backpackers and thru-hikers.

[ REI Co-op Magma Trail Quilt 30: $329 or less. View deal .]

You might also be interested in:

• The Top Camping Tents
• The Top Family Camping Trips
• The Top Glamping Resorts in the U.S.
• The Top Places for Camping in Colorado
• The Top Places for Camping in Florida
• The Best Travel Medical Insurance

Tags: Travel , Travel Gear , Camping Vacations

World's Best Places To Visit

• # 1 South Island, New Zealand
• # 4 Bora Bora

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Best Backpacking Sleeping Bags of 2024

Warm, lightweight, and compressible—below are the year’s top sleeping bags for the backcountry.

Switchback Travel ( Jason Hummel )

We use affiliate links and may receive a small commission on purchases. Read more about us . 

Cozying into your sleeping bag at the end of a long day on the trail is one of the great pleasures of backpacking. And today’s bags offer exceptional warmth for the weight along with a range of technologies that help them stay dry and perform in a variety of conditions. The majority of the bags on this list are filled with down, which is warmer, lighter, and more compressible than synthetic insulation. Below are the top backpacking sleeping bags of 2024. For more background information, see our sleeping bag comparison table and buying advice below the picks. Finally, if weight is at the top of your priority list, we've also compiled a list of the best ultralight sleeping bags and quilts .

Editor's note: We updated this guide on May 21, 2024, to include the latest versions of a few sleeping bags, including the Kelty Cosmic Down, Sea to Summit Spark, Mountain Hardwear Phantom, and REI Magma. We also added Sea to Summit's new Ascent 15, along with information about our testing practices below the picks.  

Our Team's Backpacking Sleeping Bag Picks

• Best Overall Sleeping Bag: Feathered Friends Swallow UL 20
• Best Budget Down Sleeping Bag: Kelty Cosmic Down 20
• Most Comfortable and Feature-Rich Sleeping Bag: Nemo Disco 15
• Best Ultralight Sleeping Bag for Warm Weather: Sea to Summit Spark 45
• Best Winter/High-Altitude Sleeping Bag:   Mountain Hardwear Phantom 0F
• Best Sleeping Quilt for Backpacking: Enlightened Equipment Enigma Quilt 30

Best Overall Sleeping Bag

1. feathered friends swallow ul 20 ($629).

For the best combination of premium down, high-quality construction, and warmth-to-weight ratio, it’s hard to beat a Feathered Friends sleeping bag. This boutique Seattle-based brand specializes in down products and hand-makes just about all their products in the Pacific Northwest. Climbers stop in religiously before heading to Mt. Rainier, Alaska, and far-off places like the Himalayas, and it’s well worth a visit if you’re in Seattle (their store is right across from the REI flagship). And with a direct-to-consumer model, Feathered Friends sleeping bags and other down products are exceptionally well made and competitively priced for what you get.

For serious 3-season use, the Swallow’s balance of comfort and warmth for the weight is hard to beat. It’s stuffed with over a pound of 950-fill goose down, has a durable and water-resistant Pertex Endurance UL shell, and comes in at a reasonable 1 pound 11 ounces for the 20-degree model. It’s also built to last: After almost a decade of use, our Feathered Friends bag shows little sign of wear and is as warm as the day we bought it. But the Swallow is indeed pricey at $629 and lacks some of the modern touches you get with other bags, including a draft collar (the passive collar is a bit less effective at trapping heat), pillow pocket, and toe box vent. For a slightly more affordable and lighter option with trimmer dimensions, check out the  Feathered Friends Hummingbird UL 20 . See the Feathered Friends Swallow UL 20

Best Budget Down Sleeping Bag

2. kelty cosmic down 20 ($160).

For new backpackers and those on a budget, Kelty makes inexpensive gear that may pleasantly surprise you with its quality. The Cosmic Down 20 is one of the cheaper down sleeping bags on the market—certainly from a major manufacturer—but the ISO Comfort rating of 31 degrees Fahrenheit should keep you cozy in most 3-season conditions. You also get a zippered internal pocket for stashing a headlamp or phone, a relatively supple—and recycled—nylon shell, a draft tube and collar to minimize heat loss, and multiple zippers for venting. Finally, we should note that Kelty lightly updated the design recently, with changes including a 3-ounce drop in weight and $5-cheaper price tag (fill power and weight stayed the same). At well under 3 pounds for the regular version, it’s handily our favorite budget down bag for 2024.

Keep in mind that due to the lower fill-power down, the Kelty Cosmic Down is not nearly as light or packable as the more premium options on this list. By spending up, the Feathered Friends Swallow UL 20 above offers significantly more warmth for almost a full pound less, although it also happens to be almost four times the price (and a bit more fragile). Alternatively, Marmot’s synthetic Trestles Elite Eco costs around the same and provides comparable warmth in a more weather-ready package—unlike down, synthetic fill will continue to insulate when wet. But for space-conscious backpackers keeping an eye on their wallet, it’s hard to beat the down-filled Cosmic, which packs down noticeably smaller than the Trestles.  See the Men's Kelty Cosmic Down 20   See the Women's Kelty Cosmic Down 20

Most Comfortable and Feature-Rich Sleeping Bag

3. nemo disco 15 endless promise ($320).

Nemo does things a little differently with their sleeping bags, and they’re a big hit among comfort seekers and side sleepers. Unlike slender mummy designs that trim dimensions to shave weight, Nemo utilizes a "spoon”-shaped concept on the Disco. The focus is on comfort: The bag is wider than a typical mummy, particularly in the elbows and knees, so sleepers can roll from side to side without feeling constrained. You also get features like two “Thermo Gill” vents running lengthwise at the top of the bag—unzipping them creates intentional cold spots to release hot air in warm conditions—an oversized draft collar at the neck, and a built-in pillow sleeve. Finally, the Disco 15 uses 650-fill, PFC-free hydrophobic down, and a waterproof panel around the toe box for added protection.

The Disco was updated for the spring of 2024, and the newest version joins Nemo’s Endless Promise collection with a recycled, repairable, resellable, and recyclable design. It also boasts a redesigned draft collar and updated vents, which now feature zippers on both the inside and the outside of the bag for convenient access. As with previous versions, the biggest downsides are weight and bulk: The spacious design means more fabric and down fill are required, and the Disco 15 checks in at 2 pounds 11 ounces for the regular size. It also doesn’t help that the bag uses 650-fill down, which is decidedly mid-range (check out the 800-fill Nemo Riff 15 for a lighter but pricier alternative). But if the roomy fit and comfort-focused feature set appeal to you, the Disco 15 is a great option. See the Men's Nemo Disco 15    See the Women's Nemo Disco 15

Best Ultralight Sleeping Bag for Warm Weather

4. sea to summit spark 45 ($349).

Most of the sleeping bags here check in between 1 and 2 pounds and have temperature ratings that extend as low as 20 degrees Fahrenheit. While these are great all-around designs for a range of conditions and backpacking trips, they verge on overkill—both in terms of weight and warmth—for minimalist missions in warm summer weather. For these conditions, we love the Sea to Summit Spark, a 12.8-ounce, 45-degree bag that packs down to the size of a 1-liter Nalgene bottle. The Spark is surprisingly well-rounded for its weight: Unlike the Feathered Friends Tanager and Enlightened Equipment Enigma below, it comes complete with a hood and zipper, and its hydrophobic down offers great wet-weather assurance. All told, you’d be hard-pressed to find a lighter, more functional design without bumping up to the 50-degree category.

But versatility is limited with such a minimalist bag. To put it in perspective, our top-ranked Swallow UL 20 contains over three times as much down as the Spark, which is a welcome addition on cool summer nights spent up high. Further, while its 10-denier shell isn’t the thinnest here (the Tanager’s is 7 x 5D), it will still require considerable care when packing or sleeping outside on rough ground. Finally, the Spark got a little less competitive overall with a recent update: The latest version weighs 0.8 ounces more than its predecessor but with an ounce less down fill and 5-degree-higher temperature rating (from 40 to 45 degrees). But these shortcomings aside, the ultralight and ultra-compressible Spark will disappear into your pack or bike pannier better than just about any other sleeping bag, making it a solid choice for mid-summer outings at low elevations. See the Men's Sea to Summit Spark 45    See the Women's Sea to Summit Spark 45

Best Winter/High-Altitude Sleeping Bag 

5. mountain hardwear phantom 0f ($680).

Cold environments call for a warm sleeping bag, and Mountain Hardwear’s Phantom 0F has long been a go-to choice for winter camping and high-altitude expeditions. Filled with almost 2 pounds of 800-fill down and featuring a lofty draft collar, cinchable hood, and protective face gasket, the Phantom is a warm haven from sub-freezing temperatures. Its 2-pound-10.4-ounce build is undeniably heavy compared to the 3-season competition, but is impressive considering the bag’s warmth: Mountain Hardwear keeps weight and bulk low with a thin 10-denier shell, lightweight zipper, and streamlined (yet still comfortable) profile. It all adds up to our favorite down sleeping bag for human-powered endeavors in the cold, including backcountry hut trips, snow camping, and expeditions up the world’s tallest peaks.

We’d be remiss not to also mention Feathered Friends’ Snowbunting ES 0 here, which recently replaced the Snowbunting EX 0. Designed for serious adventures, the Snowbunting offers more protection from drips and condensation with a water-resistant Pertex Shield EX fabric. The shell is also slightly thicker at 15-denier, and 40-denier ripstop reinforcements offer peace of mind when you’re sleeping beside your climbing gear. The Snowbunting’s water-resistant shell does slightly compromise breathability—and adds a few ounces to the total weight—but the trade-offs will be worth the added assurance for some. All told, the Snowbunting ($789 for the regular length) is the better bag if you anticipate needing to fend off moisture, but for dry conditions and shorter trips, the Phantom offers a more competitive combination of price and warmth for the weight. See the Mountain Hardwear Phantom 0F

Best Sleeping Quilt for Backpacking

6. enlightened equipment enigma quilt 30 ($330).

Sleeping quilts are popular among ultralight enthusiasts: With an open-back design that wraps around a pad, they’re able to provide sleeping-bag-like warmth for noticeably less weight and bulk. Quilts are the bread and butter of Minnesota-based Enlightened Equipment, so it’s no surprise to see their Enigma at the top of our list for 2024. The Enigma 30 packs a serious punch with a whopping 12.4 ounces of 850-fill down. Priced at just $330, it’s a great value, too. And because ULers love customization, Enlightened Equipment quilts are available in a wide variety of sizes (16 combinations of length and circumference), along with the option of 850- or 950-fill down, various nylon shells (7D or 10D), and a whole range of temperature ratings (0 to 50°F). 

We’re big fans of sleeping quilts for their versatility and warmth-to-weight, and despite their backless design, we’ve taken them into fairly inclement conditions (in fact, we’ve shared the Enigma 20 with a partner deep in the North Cascades and high up in Patagonia’s alpine). You give up a bit of security, and with no hood, you’ll want to be sure to pack additional coverage for your head (a beanie or hooded down jacket will do), but we’ve nevertheless learned to trust quilts no matter the conditions. If you’re willing to try something different, they offer truly impressive warmth (remember that all their insulation is concentrated along the front and side of the body) alongside great ventilation for hot sleepers. And for an even more premium option, check out Hyperlite’s  Unbound 20 and 40 ($499 and $399 respectively), which use premium 1,000-fill goose down along with a thin 7-denier shell. See the Enlightened Equipment Enigma Quilt

Best of the Rest

7. mountain hardwear bishop pass 15 ($285).

There are a lot of very expensive sleeping bags on the market that use 800-fill-power down or even higher, and there are a number of budget-oriented synthetic options, but the mid-range down offerings are surprisingly limited. In this category, we like the Mountain Hardwear Bishop Pass, which does a nice job of putting it all together at a reasonable price. You get a cozy 26-degree Fahrenheit ISO Comfort rating at 2 pounds 5.4 ounces total—a half-pound lighter than the similarly priced Marmot Sawtooth below. This bag is both well-built and comfortable, with premium touches like a generous draft collar to seal out cold and a noticeably soft liner that feels supple and cozy against the skin. At a fraction of the cost of a high-end model like the Feathered Friends Swallow UL, we like the value of the Bishop Pass.

Keep in mind that the Mountain Hardwear Bishop Pass manages to keep weight low by tailoring the cut of the bag. The regular size is 53 inches at the hip, whereas the Marmot Sawtooth and Kelty Cosmic are roomier at 59 and 58 inches, respectively. If you are a side sleeper who tosses and turns throughout the night, we recommend choosing one of the aforementioned options (or Nemo makes the roomiest bags out there). And for about the same price, the Sawtooth adds a few ounces of down and extra features for comfort, including an expandable footbox and dual-side zips at the collar. But for those who don’t mind a trimmer mummy cut, the Bishop Pass is a quality mid-range bag that will save you some weight. See the Men's Mountain Hardwear Bishop Pass 15   See the Women's MH Bishop Pass 15

8.  Therm-a-Rest Parsec 20 ($470)

Therm-a-Rest offers a wide selection of sleeping bags for everything from ultralight backpacking to car camping, and the Parsec builds on their well-rounded expertise. Delivering frontcountry comfort in a lightweight (1 lb. 12 oz.) and packable design, the Parsec 20 features 16 ounces of 800-fill down along with a host of noteworthy features. You get a smooth no-snag zipper (it wasn’t 100% foolproof in our testing but definitely cut down on hang-ups) with a draft tube, a down-stuffed foot pocket for added warmth, a draft collar, and a handy external pocket for essentials. We’ve used the Parsec all winter in both backpacking and van-camping scenarios and have been impressed with how plush and warm it feels for such a streamlined design.

The Parsec 20 goes head-to-head with the premium Western Mountaineering UltraLite below with a similar weight, temperature rating, and fill weight. One of the largest differences between the two bags comes in terms of dimensions: The Parsec is significantly roomier, with 62 inches at the collar and 57 at the hips (the UltraLite is 59 and 51 in., respectively). It’s also more modern-feeling compared to the Western Mountaineering’s rather barebones design, including softer fabrics and the aforementioned features. The Parsec can’t quite match the warmth of the UltraLite, and its shell felt significantly less durable in our testing, but these are minor shortcomings considering the $150 savings. All told, it's a high-quality and well-equipped bag for a little less than the competition, which is a winning recipe for many. See the Therm-a-Rest Parsec 20

9. Western Mountaineering UltraLite ($620)

REI Co-op’s in-house offerings have been impressive of late, with a strong lineup of quality backpacking gear at competitive price points. The latest Magma 15 is a case in point: For $429, you get a premium and warm backpacking bag that’s loaded with 23.3 ounces of 850-fill down (REI also makes a 30-degree version for $379). On paper, it’s right in line with top-tier brands but with less damage to your wallet (competing models from Feathered Friends and Western Mountaineering above cost $629 and $620, respectively). The Magma isn’t cheap by any means—down is the most expensive insulator—but it’s a solid value nevertheless, especially during sale periods when you can utilize a member coupon (alternatively, if you purchase at full MSRP and are an REI member, you’ll get 10% back at the end of the year).

REI recently overhauled the Magma line, with the biggest change being the swap from separate men’s and women’s versions to more cohesive unisex sizing. Both the Magma 15 here and cheaper Magma 30 are now offered in nine sizes, with three length and width options to choose from. The latest Magma 15 is also noticeably warmer than the past-generation version with an additional 7.3 ounces of down for the medium size (accordingly, both the Comfort and Lower Limit ratings are 16 degrees higher). Unfortunately, weight and price also went up (by 7.4 and $30, respectively), but we’re overall happy with the changes—which also included a new recycled shell and PFC-free DWR coating. The Magma still can’t match the ultra-high-end feel of bags from Feathered Friends and Western Mountaineering, but you’d be hard-pressed to find a better value for the weight and warmth.  See the REI Co-op Magma 15

11.  Patagonia Fitz Roy 30°F ($429)

The Fitz Roy Parka is one of our all-time favorite heavyweight down jackets from Patagonia, which we love for its sleeping bag-like warmth and loft. So when the Ventura-based company released their sleeping bag lineup under the same name, we had an idea of what to expect: plush, lofty down plumage, a soft and supple fabric, and excellent build quality. The Fitz Roy takes further design hints from Patagonia’s jacket collection, with a center front zip, internal pocket at the chest, and deep hood that’s modeled after their warmest winter parkas. And as we’ve come to expect, it’s sustainably designed through and through, including Advanced Global Traceable down, a PFC-free DWR finish, and recycled, solution-dyed nylon (solution dying conserves both energy and water). 

But despite Patagonia’s penchant for fast-and-light alpinism, the Fitz Roy is not particularly lightweight or packable, especially compared to bags like the Feathered Friends Swallow UL and Sea to Summit Spark above. As a result, it’s not our first choice for ultralight backpacking trips or multi-day climbs. But the Fitz Roy nevertheless lands in a competitive field of solid all-rounders, joining similarly spec’d bags like the REI Co-op Magma 15 and Therm-a-Rest Parsec 20 (Patagonia doesn’t specify a fill weight, but in our experience, the Fitz Roy’s 30-degree designation feels like its lower limit), and the front zip (complete with three zipper heads for venting at the top, bottom, and middle) offers a nice change of pace from more standard designs. Added up, the Fitz Roy is a solid offering from a brand we trust—and it also comes in a 20-degree version (2 lb. 4 oz.) for $529. See the Patagonia Fitz Roy 30°F

12. Marmot Trestles Elite Eco 20 ($169)

For backpacking, we almost always favor down sleeping bags over synthetics—they pack down smaller and provide more warmth for the weight. But there’s still a time and place for synthetic fill, especially if you’re looking to save cash or planning to spend a lot of time in wet weather. Marmot has been a mainstay in the world of synthetic sleeping bags for years with its varied Trestles line. For an affordable $169, the Elite Eco 20 offers a very practical 32.2-degree Fahrenheit EN Comfort rating, which should work well for most 3-season conditions, along with a respectable weight of 2 pounds 6 ounces. And the Trestles Elite Eco 20 is surprisingly well-featured for the price, including recycled materials, multiple zippers for venting, an internal stash pocket, and a draft tube.

In the end, we have the Marmot Trestles Elite Eco ranked here because we think there are far better options for backpacking. For those who don't need the added warmth, Marmot's standard Trestles (rated to 30 degrees Fahrenheit) is significantly cheaper at $109, and the Nemo Forte Endless Promise 20  is a far more comfortable option for a very reasonable $200—although many will find it to be prohibitively heavy at 3 pounds 7 ounces. Alternatively, the similarly priced, down-filled Kelty Cosmic above checks in just an ounce heavier, stuffs down smaller, and will last significantly longer (synthetic fill has a tendency to pack out over time). Unless water resistance is particularly important to you, we recommend going with the Kelty. See the Men's Marmot Trestles Elite Eco 20   See the Women's Trestles Elite Eco 20

13. Feathered Friends Tanager 20 CFL ($469)

We covered Sea to Summit’s ultralight Spark 45 above, which is a great option for those who exclusively backpack in warm weather. For most of us, however, a warmer design like the Ascent 15 makes more sense. In addition to boasting around three times the amount of down (albeit of a lower quality), the Ascent features a thicker 20-denier shell (the Spark’s is 10D), along with a box baffle construction that allows the down to loft fully (the Spark’s sewn-through baffles compress the insulation at the seams). But arguably the biggest selling point is Ascent’s Free-Flow Zip System, which offers several different venting options: One side unzips down to the hips, while the other wraps all the way around the footbox, with snaps at the neck for keeping the bag in place. Fully unzipped, this allows you to stick out your arms and feet while still keeping your torso (and head, if you keep the hood on) fully covered. For reference, we recently tested the Ascent 15 in Patagonia during a very warm stretch—warm enough that we should have opted for the cheaper 30-degree version —and the myriad venting options saved us from sweating out of the bag in the middle of the night.

Why the lower ranking for the Sea to Summit Ascent 15? While not excessively heavy at 2 pounds 4 ounces, we were surprised at how bulky the bag is when stuffed down. To be fair, the included stuff sack is a quality design that goes a long way toward reducing packed size, but the 750-fill down simply doesn’t compress as well as higher-fill-power varieties (like what you get with the Spark above). Speaking of premium down, REI’s Magma above uses loftier and more compressible 850-fill down, resulting in added warmth for around the same weight—at a $40 cheaper price point to boot. In other words, the Ascent doesn’t strike us as a particularly strong value for what you get. But the ventilation design is well executed, and the bag has a very premium feel for cozying up on cold nights. See the Men's Sea to Summit Ascent 15   See the Women's Sea to Summit Ascent 15

15. Therm-a-Rest Hyperion 20 ($550)

16.  Marmot Sawtooth 15 ($299)

Falling on the spectrum between business and casual, Marmot’s Sawtooth is a high-value and uniquely featured sleeping bag for the recreational backpacker. The first thing that stands out about the Sawtooth is its extra zippers: At the collar, you get dual side zips for ventilation and easy in and out; at the foot, a zipper opens for extra space and shuts to seal in warmth. To top it off, the Sawtooth features a generous 24.7 ounces of 650-fill hydrophobic down, which is considerably more than most bags here. For those who run cold or want a little extra warmth for shoulder seasons (without breaking the bank), the Marmot Sawtooth is cozy, warm, and high on comfort. 

Keep in mind that the Sawtooth’s 27-degree Fahrenheit EN Comfort rating is ample for most backpacking jaunts into the mountains and won’t have you checking the forecast incessantly before the trip, but it may be overkill for warm summer conditions. And while the ventilating zippers can help broaden the bag’s temperature range, they do add a considerable amount of weight: Compared to the similarly priced Bishop Pass above, the Sawtooth is over a half-pound heavier, considerably bulkier, and contains just a few ounces more down. But the added features and space (the Marmot is 59 in. at the hip vs. the Mountain Hardwear’s 53 in.) could be well worth it for some. See the Men's Marmot Sawtooth 15   See the Women's Marmot Teton 15

17. Montbell Seamless Down Hugger 800 #3 ($339)

Like Western Mountaineering and Feathered Friends, Japan-based Montbell is a leading down specialist, and their Seamless Down Hugger collection is among the most unique on the market. In lieu of baffles, the Down Hugger utilizes a web of polyester threads (dubbed the “Spider Baffle System”) to keep the insulation in place, translating to more warmth with less down (read: less weight) compared to traditional designs. On the inside, the liner features a spiraled elastic thread that expands with your movements and constricts to hug your body, effectively trapping warmth. Added up, the Seamless Down Hugger is an incredibly efficient sleeping bag that works with a range of body sizes and will make side sleepers happy, too.

The biggest downside to cutting weight is a lack of durability: The Down Hugger’s shell is made with Montbell’s Ballistic Airtight nylon, which is tightly woven to increase tear resistance, but it’s undeniably thin (10D) and requires added care to avoid snags and punctures. But as a result, the 800 #3 is among the lighter bags on this list at 1 pound 2.7 ounces, topping the impressive Hyperion above in both weight and price. That said, while Montbell specifies the Down Hugger 800 #3 as a 30-degree bag, keep in mind that this is its Lower Limit rating. If you’re looking for something a bit different, Montbell offers the Seamless Down Hugger in a variety of temperature ratings (from 15 to 40°F) with either 800- or 900-fill down, including “WR” models with windproof Gore-Tex Infinium shell fabrics and water-resistant zippers for added assurance in inclement weather. See the Montbell Seamless Down Hugger 800 #3   See the Women's Seamless Down Hugger 800 #3

18. Big Agnes Sidewinder SL 20 ($250)

For years, Nemo has dominated the market in sleeping bags built for side sleepers, but Big Agnes stepped up to the plate recently with the Sidewinder. There is a lot going on with this bag: It’s decently spacious, has a unique fit designed to move with you when you turn over, a large hood with excellent coverage no matter your sleeping position, and extra padding (via synthetic insulation) at the hip and foot, which are major ground contact points for those who sleep on their side. If you toss and turn at night, the design is much more functional than a traditional mummy bag and a viable competitor to the Nemo Disco above.

How does the Sidewinder differ from the Nemo Disco? Most notable is shape: The Big Agnes is slimmer in terms of dimensions at 61 inches in the shoulders and 55 inches at the hips (the Nemo is 62 and 57 in., respectively, and broadens at the knees to 61 in.). It’s hard to argue with the extra space, but the Sidewinder does clock in at 7 ounces less (with identical 650-fill down and 30D shell). And like the Nemo, it also features a built-in pillow pocket, which keeps your camp pillow (or stuffed down jacket) in place throughout the night. With a good number of comfort-related differences, finicky sleepers may prefer to try both bags out before buying, but the Sidewinder is undeniably a great addition to the side-sleeper market and priced right at just $250. See the Men's Big Agnes Sidewinder SL 20   See the Women's Sidewinder SL 20

Backpacking Sleeping Bag Comparison Table

*Editor's note: For the purposes of this table, we have included the EN or ISO Comfort rating, which we feel is the most accurate point of comparison. When available, we've listed both the Comfort and Lower Limit in the product specs above. For more on the differences, see our buying advice below.

About Our Testing Process

While hauling gear miles into the backcountry is rarely easy, the reward—accessing wild places off the beaten path—is almost always worth the effort. Founder and fan of long slogs David Wilkinson put together our initial lineup of 11 picks in early 2016, drawing from his extensive experience on trails across the U.S. and as far abroad as southern Patagonia and Norway. Former editor-in-chief John Ellings and former senior editor Jenny Abegg began contributing soon after, joining forces to modernize the list with more specialized ultralight options, including hoodless designs for ounce-counters who don’t mind making some sacrifices to shave weight. Senior editor Chris Carter took over the guide in 2024. A lifelong backpacker and alumnus of each of the Triple Crown trails (AT, PCT, and CDT), Chris has shivered himself to sleep more times than he’d like to admit in search of the ideal warmth-to-weight ratio.

Our current lineup of 18 picks runs the gamut from budget-friendly designs for casual backpackers to premium bags stuffed with ultra-high-quality down to maximize warmth while minimizing weight and bulk. Priorities will vary depending on your objectives, but all of the bags above stand out in one way or another. In general, we look for accurate temperature designations (and call out when bags fall short of their EN/ISO ratings), high-quality materials and components that hold up well over time, and enough room to sleep comfortably without feeling restricted. Beyond that, characteristics like weight, down quality, and down fill will come down to your budget and personal preferences. Finally, it’s important to note that the list above isn’t static, and we will continue putting new and noteworthy designs to the test to highlight our favorites above.  

Backpacking Sleeping Bag Buying Advice

• The EN/ISO Rating System Explained
• Sleeping Bags Without an EN/ISO Rating
• Choosing the Right Temperature Rating
• Down vs. Synthetic Insulation
• Down Quality: Fill Power
• Down and Synthetic Fill Weight

Hydrophobic Down and Water-Resistant Fabrics

Weight and packability, durability and shell denier (d).

• Sleeping Bag Dimensions
• Maximizing Your Bag's Warmth

Sustainability

• Backpacking Sleeping Quilts  

Sleeping Bag Temperature Ratings

The single most important decision you’ll make when choosing a sleeping bag is the temperature rating. Simply put, few things are worse than a long, sleepless night shivering inside your tent, and we always believe that it’s best to err on the side of caution when choosing your bag. Below, we break down what you need to know about temperature ratings, including the EN/ISO standard, non-standardized models from cottage brands, and how to choose the right rating.  

The EN/ISO Rating System Explained Instead of depending on the manufacturer and their marketing whims for a temperature rating, the sleeping bag industry has attempted to standardize the system with the help of the EN (European Norm) and, more recently, the ISO (International Organization for Standardization). This criterion (formerly known as EN 13537 and now known as ISO 23537) lays out guidelines for how to test the warmth of a bag and enables consumers to make accurate comparisons between products. Both standards give us four numbers—upper limit, comfort, lower limit, and extreme—with the middle two ratings having the most significance for the majority of backpackers.  

Comfort Rating: The temperature at which an average woman can sleep comfortably. Generally, women sleep colder than men, hence the importance of the comfort rating.

Lower Limit: The temperature at which an average man can sleep for eight hours without waking. We rarely sleep for eight hours without waking on a backpacking trip, but you get the idea.

Of course, all of the EN/ISO ratings are based on averages and in general we've found them to be rather optimistic. As such, we've found that the higher EN/ISO Comfort rating is a better basis for across-the-board comparison than the EN/ISO Lower Limit, and therefore have listed it in the comparison table above (both ratings are included in the product specs when applicable).  

Sleeping Bags Without an EN/ISO Rating Some manufacturers—typically smaller companies like Western Mountaineering, Feathered Friends, and Enlightened Equipment—do not submit their bags for EN/ISO testing. From our experiences, these brands actually are on the conservative side and take pride in offering very realistic temperature ratings. For example, the Feathered Friends Swallow UL 20 is a very warm bag that has kept our tester (an average male) comfortable into the 20s, whereas the Kelty Cosmic Down 20 —with a 21-degree Fahrenheit ISO Lower Limit—will be cold if temperatures dip below freezing. As a result, we've found that in most cases the EN/ISO Comfort rating (the Cosmic's is 31 degrees F) offers the best point of comparison to unrated designs.  

The majority of backpacking sleeping bags (including most of the models on the list above) are of the 3-season variety, with ratings from around 20 to 30 degrees Fahrenheit. We love the versatility of these designs: In the summer, you can unzip the bag and stay reasonably cool, but they also allow for spring, fall, and alpine backpacking when the temperature drops to freezing or below. Summer bags have lower limits around 40 degrees and offer the least room for error, but keep weight low for warm-weather use at low elevations. Finally, winter or expedition bags are the warmest of all and overkill for most recreational backpackers. Within this category, a model like the Mountain Hardwear Phantom 0F is a good choice, and there are a number of options from climbing-centric companies like Western Mountaineering and Montbell that are rated down to -10 degrees Fahrenheit and lower.  

Sleeping Bag Insulation

Down vs. Synthetic Insulation The down vs. synthetic debate is not unique to backpacking sleeping bags. Midlayers , camping bags , and even sleeping pads are all insulated with these fill types. For a certain piece of gear or apparel, one has the leg up on the other, and for backpacking sleeping bags, we still give the clear edge to down fill. There are a few major reasons for that, including the best warmth-to-weight ratio, far better packability (i.e., a smaller compressed size), and a more premium warmth. The last one is a bit subjective, but it’s a clear consensus from us that down’s lofty warmth feels more luxurious. Down does vary in quality, which is measured in fill power (covered below), but even a mid-grade down fill is the superior insulator.  

So why consider synthetic? The most common reason for most is price. Even a premium synthetic bag like the Nemo Forte 20 Endless Promise (not listed above due to its weight) slides in around $200, while a nice down bag doubles that (and more). In addition, synthetic performs far better than down in wet weather. While there have been improvements in down’s performance in the wet thanks to the application of hydrophobic coatings on the feathers, synthetic will insulate far better if moisture enters the bag. So, for starting out, if you’re looking for a budget option, or you backpack in really wet conditions, synthetic bags remain a great choice. For an even more in-depth explanation of this topic, see our article on down vs. synthetic insulation .  

  Down Quality: Fill Power If you decide down is going to be your insulation of choice, one of the first specs to look at is the quality of a specific down, known as its fill power. Specifically, it’s a measure of how much loft or fluffiness the down clusters have, and this correlates with warmth (note: Both duck and goose down are measured in the same way). The highest down fill power is 1,000, and you’ll see cheaper sleeping bags closer to 500. Generally, the higher the fill power, the more expensive the sleeping bag. The lower the fill power, the more it must weigh to provide similar levels of warmth. High fill powers in the 800 and 900s are great, but don’t necessarily be turned off by 550- or 600-fill—it’s a great way to save money on an otherwise excellent bag.  

Down and Synthetic Fill Weight Fill weight is the actual amount of insulation stuffed into a sleeping bag. If it’s a close call between two bags with the same types of insulation (down or synthetic) and one or both don’t have EN or ISO ratings, you can compare fill weight to get a better idea of which one will be warmer. Cut does matter here: A bag with a slender cut may have less insulation than a bag with a roomy cut despite providing similar or even more warmth. Fill weight is more helpful for a category like down jackets , which don’t have EN/ISO ratings, but it’s good to know here, too. And it's a good visual for how much more insulation is required for a synthetic bag to compete with down. For comparison, the aforementioned Nemo Forte 20 requires 9 additional ounces of synthetic fill to achieve approximately the same temperature rating as the down-filled Disco 15.  

Down feathers lose much of their ability to insulate when wet, so manufacturers have taken strides to provide built-in protection in the form of hydrophobic down and water-resistant shell fabrics. In the case of hydrophobic down, the feathers are coated with a polymer that protects them from moisture and keeps them from clumping. In use, this means you don’t have to worry as much about brushes with water inside or outside of your backpacking tent —although you still don’t want to fully soak your bag. Hydrophobic down adds a little weight but we’re big fans overall, especially for those headed out in wet areas like the Pacific Northwest or New Zealand.  

Some sleeping bags also employ water-resistant shell fabrics in order to keep moisture at bay. We see this in bags like the Feathered Friends Hummingbird YF , which features a Pertex Quantum shell with YFuse technology and a durable water repellent (DWR) finish. The goal of this combination is to bead up moisture and roll it off rather than allowing it to soak through to the down feathers beneath. Whether you’re opting for a bag with hydrophobic feathers, water-resistant fabrics, or both, it’s important to remember that these technologies protect against light—think condensation in a tent or dew during an open-air bivy—and will do little to keep you dry and warm in sustained or heavy rain.  

Along with your backpacking tent, your sleeping bag is one the heaviest and bulkiest items in your pack. The models here run the gamut from just 12.8 ounces for the ultralight Sea to Summit Spark 45  to 2 pounds 14.2 ounces for the roomy and warm Marmot Sawtooth 15. In general, weight is saved by using premium fill-power down (800+), thin shell fabrics and zippers (often half-length), and trimmer profiles. As is the case with virtually all categories of outdoor gear, ultralight products tend to be among the priciest on the market. To better evaluate and compare weights, we’ve included this key spec in each product write-up and our sleeping bag comparison table above.  

To take full advantage of the small stuffed size potential of your sleeping bag, consider picking up a compression sack (one of our favorites due to its waterproof construction is the Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Compression Sack ). Most sleeping bags only include a non-compressible stuff sack, but this won’t do your sleeping bag justice in terms of how small it can get. Do take care when using a compression sack—try to lightly compress the bag so that it fits easily into your pack without overdoing it, and don’t store your sleeping bag in a compression sack for extended periods as that can permanently damage the down.  

Sleeping Bag Dimensions: Profile and Length

In addition to considerations like warmth and down fill, the cut of a sleeping bag is a very important piece to analyze. The three most common points of measurement for sleeping bags are the girth (i.e., circumference) at the shoulders, hips, and feet (59"/51"/38", for example), which give you an idea as to how roomy or tapered the bag is. The shoulder and hip measurements are the most significant in terms of comfort, which is why we’ve included them in the comparison table above.

Many ultralight sleeping bags save weight by tapering the cut for less fabric and down. If you toss and turn at night or just prefer more space, make sure to consider a roomier bag (the spoon-shaped Nemo Disco 15 is a great example). The downsides are that these bags can feel draftier and may not retain heat quite as well, and often weigh more because more fabric and insulation are required to fill the larger surface area. The good news is that many manufacturers make the same bag in varying widths. The Western Mountaineering AlpinLite is the wider version of the UltraLite, for example, and the Feathered Friends Hummingbird and Swift are largely similar to our top-ranked Swallow but with trimmer and roomier dimensions, respectively.  

In terms of length, most sleeping bags come in two or three lengths that are meant to fit men and women of varying heights. For men’s bags, the regular size often is 72 inches long and the tall is 78 inches long. If the bag doesn’t have a women’s-specific version, you’ll often see a short 66-inch option. If you are on the border and want the hood to extend over your head, it’s a good idea to size up. Keep in mind that larger sizes do cost and weigh more and have a larger packed size.  

Women’s-Specific Sleeping Bags

Many sleeping bags are made in a women’s version, which is typically narrower at the shoulders, roomier around the hips, and available in shorter lengths. However, the biggest differentiating factor is that women’s bags are advertised by their Comfort rating, while men’s bags are marketed with their Lower Limit. For example, the men's Nemo Disco 15  has a Lower Limit of 16 degrees Fahrenheit (which corresponds to the 15 in its name), while the women's Disco 15  has a Comfort rating of 17 degrees (and a Lower Limit of 4 degrees). In other words, the women's Nemo Disco 15 is a lot warmer than the men’s, which is important to keep in mind when purchasing. And in 2024, we’re seeing many brands returning to unisex (rather than men’s and women’s) designs, which, in our opinion, is a healthy switch that mitigates a lot of confusion. For instance, REI’s latest Magma 15 is offered in nine sizes, including various lengths (short, regular, or long) and widths (narrow, standard, or wide ) to choose from depending on your build and sleeping preferences.  

Maximizing Your Bag’s Warmth

Once you purchase your bag, there are a few things to keep in mind in order to maximize warmth. Perhaps the most important consideration is your sleeping pad ’s R-value, which offers a measurement of how well the pad insulates you from the ground. R-values range from 1.0 (almost no insulation) to about 9.5 (winter-ready warmth), and the average 3-season backpacker should look for something in the 3 to 4 range or more. Next up, eliminating drafts can go a long way—on a cold night, make sure your zipper is closed all the way and cinch the draft collar and hood close to your neck and face. It’s also a good idea to have some extra clothing in case you need it: A warm hat can help keep a lot of heat in, and some wool baselayers will help add some warmth as well (we advise against cotton). Finally, you’ll want to be sure to get the right sized bag, which we address in the "Dimensions" section above.  

Our impact on the environment has never been of greater concern, and it’s nice to see gear companies step it up with more sustainable practices. In the world of sleeping bags, common features include responsibly sourced down, recycled materials, and PFC-free durable water repellent (DWR) finishes. When shopping for sleeping bags with responsibly sourced down, look for an RDS certification or (in the case of Patagonia) Advanced Global Traceable Down . All of these buzzwords translate to greater transparency in down sourcing and ensure the birds were treated humanely and not subjected to unnecessary harm, such as force-feeding or live-plucking.

Many companies now also make their sleeping bags with recycled fabrics, including Patagonia, REI Co-op, and Mountain Hardwear. Nemo recently threw their hat into the ring with the Endless Promise collection, which includes fully recyclable gear (the Disco above is just one example) that can be repurposed at the end of its lifespan. Finally, we’ve started to see PFC-free DWR finishes from almost all companies, which eliminate the use of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs)—chemicals that have been linked to a range of environmental and health issues.   

Backpacking Sleeping Quilts

Sleeping quilts fall into a different category than sleeping bags, but they’re worth mentioning for those who run particularly warm or want a lighter option. A sleeping quilt (we include the Enlightened Equipment Enigma above, but you can find all of our recommendations in our buyer’s guide to the best ultralight sleeping bags and quilts ) is a minimalist backcountry sleep system popular among ultralighters and thru-hikers, characterized by an open back (read: no zipper) and emphasis on weight savings. Quilts feature enclosed or cinchable footboxes, connect to your sleeping pad via included straps, and cinch around the neck to provide wrap-around and (hopefully) draft-free protection.  

The sleeping bag vs. quilt debate comes down to personal preference. Some backpackers (including one of our editors) swear by quilts and love that they’re lightweight, focus the insulation on top of the body (your sleeping pad should take care of the underside), and ventilate well on warm nights. But not everyone is keen on the compromises: You have to bring proper head coverage (a beanie will do), the quilt/sleeping pad system isn’t always perfect and can let in drafts, and you might feel particularly vulnerable on cold nights. All in all, most recreational backpackers will prefer the coziness and simplicity of a lightweight mummy bag, but quilts are a viable option and especially great for warm nights. Back to Our Top Sleeping Bag Picks   Back to Our Sleeping Bag Comparison Table

Learn More About Outdoor Gear

Best Ultralight Sleeping Bags and Quilts of 2024

Best Stuff Sacks of 2024

Backpacking Gear Reviews

Best Backpacking Sleeping Pads of 2024

Sleeping Bags vs. Quilts

Feathered Friends Tanager 20 Review

Best Backpacking Tents of 2024

Best Ultralight Tents of 2024

Best Down Jackets of 2024

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USA TODAY 10Best

10 best weekender bags for your next getaway, according to a travel pro

May 27, 2024 // By Jean Chen Smith

By Jean Chen Smith May 27, 2024

As a travel writer, good gear is essential. I've tested everything from travel strollers to pet carriers , but my most useful and favorite type of luggage is a weekender bag. Known for versatility and functionality, a weekender is an evolution — or grown-up, sophisticated version — of the original duffel bag. (PS: The name "duffel" comes from Duffel, Belgium, where sailors used thick fabric to make seabags in the late 17th century.)

Today's weekenders are available in various sizes, shapes, and colors. Still, its purpose is essentially the same as its name implies: A weekender bag is meant to hold all your items for a weekend trip, plus it can double as a personal item that fits under the seat on airplanes.

Reliable weekender bags should hold several days' worth of clothing, have multiple compartments to store and organize your accessories, and be durable, preferably made with waterproof and stain-resistant fabric. Depending on your travel needs, ask yourself what size weekender you'll need and what fabric you prefer. Some bags in the marketplace look super chic but aren't long-lasting, making them less practical.

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Additional details to look for in a good weekender bag include removable shoulder straps, exterior pockets for quick access to your travel paperwork, and whether it has a space for your laptop (if that's a non-negotiable).

Although there are many offerings, here are 10 of the best weekender bags for making quick trips and travel a breeze.

Best weekender bag for women: Patricia Nash Designs Avola Trolley

The Avola Trolley is a beautiful statement piece for women who want to travel in style with ease. The feminine patina-coated pattern is easy to spot whether you're on a road trip or checking luggage. This weekender can also be used as a wheeled duffel when traversing airports and hotel lobbies, which makes it super pragmatic. The retractable handle is easily adjustable to several different heights, too.

The interior offers multiple pockets for organizing your travel essentials, while the exterior offers both a front and back slip pocket so you can easily access airline tickets and vouchers while on the move. Caught in the rain? No need to fret: It's durable and water-resistant.

Best weekender bag for men: Backcountry All Around 60L Duffel

We chose the no-nonsense All Around 60L Duffel from Backcountry as the best pick for men because its durable, heavy-duty fabric withstands all weather conditions. Whether camping, on a road trip, or just heading on a weekend jaunt, this duffel offers 60 liters of capacity, allowing space for bulky gear, clothes, and other essentials.

Two interior mesh pockets store your smaller items, while the main compartment boasts a built-in lining to keep your belongings dry. The large side pocket is an excellent area to store dirty clothing or shoes, keeping them separate from the main section.

While most duffel bags don't have a base, the All Around has a protected foundation, which is helpful when packing fragile objects. You can wear it as a backpack (great for hiking) or use it as a handheld (great for airports). Another reason to love it: Backcountry offers a limited lifetime warranty on the bag.

Best weekender bag with shoe compartment: Béis The Weekender

The iconic Béis The Weekender is the brand's best-selling bag and with good reason. It comes in nine sumptuous colors, and it's lightweight and functional. The wire frame and double-zip opening resemble an old-fashioned Gladstone bag, allowing the entire bag to open for quick and easy access. The interior boasts a padded laptop sleeve, a large zip pocket, and two slip pockets for arranging all your travel belongings.

The separate bottom compartment opens up and is ideal for storing shoes and toiletries. Added benefits are the trolley sleeve, which slides right over your luggage handle, removable shoulder straps, and a zippered front pocket. The brand offers additional add-ons like a dopp kit or packing cubes to match your corresponding color.

Best leather weekender bag: Quince Italian Leather Triple Compartment Weekender

Whether heading to the Hamptons or SoCal, look sleek carrying the Quince Italian Leather Triple Compartment Weekender , which comes in three alluring colors. The price tag is a steal for a practical and fashionable bag that makes travel a breeze.

This weekender is made of 100% top-grain Italian leather and lined with cotton twill, which is easy to clean. Three zippered compartments keep your belongings organized, while the main compartment is roomy and offers three slip pockets for carrying cell phones and other supplies.

It has a removable shoulder strap so you can wear it as a crossbody and a luggage sleeve, so it can rest on your suitcase, making your journey a cinch. We also love that the brand works with sustainable factories to promote ethical business practices.

Best canvas weekender bag: Paravel Weekender

The extremely chic Paravel Weekender is one of my favorites for a country-themed getaway . It looks like a picnic basket, except it's made of heavy-duty, stain-resistant EcoCraft Canvas and packs a ton of life's necessities when on the move. The handles and trim detailing are made of recycled vegan leather to support sustainability.

Two zippered pockets on the inside help keep things organized, while the main compartment can fit a laptop up to 15 inches. You can also personalize your bag with your initials and add a colorful cabana strap (sold separately). Other winning highlights are that it's TSA-compliant and fits most overhead bins.

Best backpack weekender bag: Monos Metro Backpack

As a frequent flier, I can attest to the convenience of backpacks when maneuvering through airports. They help me keep my posture upright while promoting even weight distribution, so I can carry slightly more than a tote or crossbody. After hours of travel, a backpack like the Monos Metro Backpack can save the day.

Made of water-resistant nylon twill and vegan leather trims, this bag provides ample space to store clothing, books, and shoes. It also comes loaded with pockets to streamline organization: The interior features a zippered pouch, two pockets, and a large sleeve. A separate 15-inch laptop compartment is also in the back of the bag.

The Metro comes with the Metro Classic Kit, which is affixed to the backpack's body, allowing more storage space. It can also be used as a small dopp kit or makeup bag when removed. I find it useful for holding chargers, vitamins, and trial-size toiletries.

Best laptop weekender bag: Calpak Terra 26L Laptop Duffel

Made of recycled ripstop material and coated with laminate for water resistance, the Calpak Terra 26L Laptop Duffel Backpack makes travel easy — whether on an extended vacation or a quick weekend getaway. Weighing less than 3 pounds, it's a lightweight, multifunctional option for those needing ample laptop space (up to 17 inches) and lots of room for everything else, including clothing, toiletries, and shoes.

We like the Terra for its adjustable padded shoulder straps for comfort, luggage trolley sleeve, and multiple interior pocket options. Another helpful detail is the compression straps with buckles, which allow you to squeeze in a little extra when packing.

Best small weekender bag: State Franklin Weekender

I love the State Franklin Weekender for its classic style and versatility. The brand is known for reliable luggage and travel bags, so it's no surprise this makes our list. Minimalists love the generous-sized main compartment and interior pockets to store small essentials. Although it doesn't have a separate zippered compartment for your shoes, it does feature a shoe pocket.

Two exterior zippered pockets allow easy access to documents, chargers, earbuds, and more. It also has a removable shoulder strap, so you can wear it multiple ways. The only downside is that we'd like to see more colors in this super functional bag.

Best expandable weekender bag: Longchamp Le Pliage Original Expandable Travel Bag

What could be more convenient than an expandable bag that caters to all your vacation needs? Look no further than Longchamp's Le Pliage Original Expandable Travel Bag , which ticks off all the short- and long-term travel boxes. This smartly designed bag has a middle zip insert that can expand from 30 liters to 50 liters. When empty, the bag weighs less than 2 pounds and is made of water and stain-resistant nylon.

Additional perks include the water-resistant interior lining and a removable and adjustable crossbody strap. Plus, it folds down flat when not in use. I highly recommend this bag for its versatility. Still, one thing to note is that it only has one small interior pocket, so if you need more organization, compression or packing cubes usually do the trick.

Best extra-large weekender bag: Baggallini Deluxe Fifth Avenue Weekender

I like Baggallini's Deluxe Fifth Avenue Weekender for its spacious interior with a padded laptop pocket (it holds laptops up to 16 inches). The lid-top zipper opening allows easy access when packing and grabbing possessions on the fly. Two external zip pockets are great for holding passports, paperwork, and other go-to items, making it a breeze to zip through airport security.

The second compartment at the bottom of the bag is an excellent solution for storing soiled clothes or shoes. Another winning feature is the removable crossbody strap, which offers several carrying options.

About Jean Chen Smith

Jean Chen Smith has a love and passion for travel, but above all, she believes in packing light and efficiently.

Read more about Jean Chen Smith here.

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10 Surprisingly Spacious Personal Item Bags to Score Ahead of Your Summer Travels — From $10

Shop comfy backpacks, duffels, and tote bags up to 67 percent off.

Travel + Leisure / Tyler Roeland

Even when flying coach, travelers often have the option to pack a personal item alongside their carry-on luggage — and if you’re smart, you’ll optimize that additional space wisely. A good personal item should be unassumingly roomy while still fitting under the seat of most commercial airplanes, but most of all, it should be easy to carry alongside your existing suitcase. Whether you’re partial to a backpack, a duffel, or even a large purse as your bag of choice, Amazon is equipped with the best gear for the job.

With options from brands like Rockland , Travelpro , Matein , and more, we’ve rounded up the 10 best personal item bags on sale at Amazon right now. And seeing as deals extend up to 67 percent off, we’re sure you’re not going to want to miss out. Regardless of what trips you’re looking forward to in the near future, you’ll have no trouble finding a selection that fits your exact requirements — starting at just $10.

Narwey for Spirit Airlines Foldable Travel Duffel Bag

The hallmark of any good personal item is its ability to easily fit under your airplane seat without taking up valuable foot space, and seeing as this Narwey tote is specifically designed with Spirit Airlines in mind, it excels in this arena. The compact bag sits at 18 inches by 13 inches by 6.3 inches which fits within the guidelines of even the strictest commercial airlines, plus, it’s incredibly lightweight and packs up tightly when not in use. With durable straps, a waterproof exterior, and an overall convenient design, this bag is the perfect personal item for any trips you may have planned this summer.

Matein Carry-on Backpack

Keeping your hands free while traveling can make the entire experience significantly easier, and this roomy Matein backpack will help you do just that — and it’s even on sale for just $34 right now. The exterior of this bag is made with water-resistant material that will keep your valuables safe and dry, while the extra large design opens like a suitcase with the capacity to fit up to five days of clothing and essentials within. It measures in at 19 inches by 13 inches by 6 inches, and even meets the parameters of airlines such as Easy Jet, Spirit, and JetBlue. A ventilated back panel remains cool, comfy, and supportive, plus, it comes in nine gorgeous colors to add a pop of personality to your adventures.

Rockland Melrose Upright Wheeled Underseater Luggage

Rockland has created no shortage of impressively spacious and durable suitcases for any type of trip you may be preparing for, but if it's a portable personal item that you’re seeking, this compact underseater is guaranteed to exceed your expectations. Now on sale for a whopping 67 percent off, this bold and petite bag will easily slide under the airplane seat with room to spare, all while keeping your carry-on essentials safe. Featuring two wheels at its base for smooth transport, this suitcase is also built with a convenient telescoping handle that can be tucked back into the top of the bag when not in use. Two mesh side pockets have ample space to hold onto a water bottle while keeping your hands largely free, and it's roomy enough to carry everything you need for a multiple-day trip.

Etronik Travel Duffel Bag

This best-selling duffel bag is a traveler-favorite at Amazon, which is exactly why you’ll want to snatch it up while it’s on sale for an impressive 42 percent off for a limited time. Featuring an incredibly roomy primary pocket that’s easy to access and holds a stunning volume of items, this tote is a top-notch personal item for longer trips, and it even features a range of genius details that set it apart from the rest. A separate, zippered shoe compartment at the base of the bag ensures that your clean laundry is never marred by the dirty soles of your favorite sandals, and an additional waterproof, PVC-lined pocket is practically essential for the summer months if you’re headed to the lake or the pool. It’s well-made, reliable, and when you’re not traveling, it even works double-duty as a handy gym bag. 

Coofay Carry-on Backpack

This genius backpack is a dream come true for travel — all thanks to a roomy interior, well-padded yet breathable shoulder straps, and a hidden shoe compartment. If you’re looking to maximize your organizational capacity, you’ll be happy to find that this bag is complete with a wide assortment of pockets to keep your essentials easily accessible while you’re on the go, plus, while the main pocket is large, the bag itself is still compact enough to fit underneath the airplane seat. Whether you’re wearing it hiking, sightseeing, or for a long day at the airport, this $31 bag is a top-notch companion.

Dreubea Women’s Soft Faux Leather Tote

Some people are partial to traveling with a sizable purse that can be used for multiple purposes throughout the trip, so if this sounds like you, the Dreubea Faux Leather Tote will be a worthwhile addition to your baggage collection while it’s on sale for a mere $15. Secured at the top with a simple snap closure, this no-frills bag functions as both a personal item and a stylish purse — either way, it’s sure to elevate any outfit it's worn with. The spacious interior is well-suited for holding your electronics, toiletries, and other items you may want to keep easily accessible during air travel, and it’s even small enough to tuck under the airplane seat with plenty of legroom to spare. With nearly 39,000 five-star ratings from happy customers speaking to its value and quality, you’ll be in good hands with this sleek bag this summer.

Travelpro Maxlite 5 Softside Lightweight Underseat Carry-on Travel Tote

Travelpro luggage is largely well-regarded for its impressive quality and functionality, and this underseat carry-on is no exception. The thoughtfully made lightweight bag is designed with an accessible top-open pocket that offers ample space for clothing, electronics, and everything in between, while smooth zippers and a water- and stain-resistant exterior are the icing on top of the cake. It comes fitted with a removable and padded shoulder strap for comfortable travel days, while a sleeve at the back of the bag also allows for easy stacking atop your rolling bags during longer trips. Best of all, the ‘Amazon’s Choice’ personal item is currently on sale for just $85.

Light Flight Travel Backpack for Women

If you have any work trips on the horizon this summer, you’ll be happy to have a reliable, durable, and easy-to-carry personal item at the ready — and the Light Flight Travel Backpack is all that and more. The main pocket offers several organizational compartments for your laptop and other items that need to be stored with additional padding, and it even boasts anti-theft zippers to keep your belongings safe when you’re spending time in the airport or walking through an unfamiliar city. The accompanying USB charging port is compatible with your favorite portable charger to keep you on the grid without turning to the airport outlets for assistance, and on top of it all, this bag is currently on sale for just $40.

Bagsmart Weekender Overnight Bag

Sometimes a simple duffel is all you need to make traveling a breeze, so kick your summer off on the right foot with this packable Bagsmart tote that’s now double-discounted to a mere $28 thanks to an on-site coupon. The beauty of this bag is that it’s supremely compact and can be stuffed into a larger suitcase when not in use, while an anti-theft zipper, a padded (and removable) shoulder strap, and a convenient elasticized water bottle pocket all add to the handiness of this unassuming bag. It’s large enough to fit all the staple items you’ll want to keep within your personal item, plus, it simply tucks under the airplane seat thanks to its malleable and compact form.

Redcamp Foldable Travel Bag

Water repellent, incredibly durable, and impressively spacious, this foldable duffel is not only an excellent personal item, but also a great asset to tuck into your larger suitcase to use if you do some shopping at your destination and are traveling back with more than you arrived with. Mesh side pockets provide easy-access storage for snacks and even a water bottle, and a convenient two-way zipper ensures that you’ll have no trouble quickly snagging whatever you need from inside your bag (even if you’re in a hurry). At just $20, this duffel proves that you don’t need to break the bank to score a high-quality personal item for all of your most exciting adventures.

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Best travel credit cards of June 2024

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Stephanie Zito is a professional traveler, self-employed humanitarian consultant and collector of credit card points. She shares savvy travel tips that she’s learned firsthand circling the globe for more than 25 years. She’s a backpacker, expect and premium traveler who’s visited more than 130 countries and all seven continents. Her life motto is “See the world, change the world, have fun doing it!” and her mission is to inspire others along the journey.

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Travel credit cards help you earn valuable points and miles on your purchases. For maximum value, some cards earn rewards not only on travel, but also everyday purchases like dining, groceries and gas. You can redeem these rewards for free or discounted flights, hotel stays or to cover other travel-related expenses.

The best travel cards also come with additional features. Even no-annual-fee travel cards are likely to offer perks like sign-up bonuses, intro APR offers and travel insurance. But for top-of-the-line benefits like airport lounge access, elite status and travel credits, expect to pay an annual fee.

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Bankrate's Best Travel Credit Cards of June 2024

• Best starter travel card:  Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
• Best for flat-rate rewards:  Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
• Best for luxury travel:  The Platinum Card® from American Express
• Best for no annual fee:  Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card  ( See Rates & Fees )
• Best for foodies:  American Express® Gold Card
• Best for everyday spending: Citi Strata Premier℠ Card
• Best for intro APR:  Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card
• Best for point values:  Chase Sapphire Reserve®
• Best for practical perks:  Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
• Best for pairing:  Chase Freedom Unlimited®
• Best for hotel bookings: Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card
• Best no-annual-fee hotel card:  Hilton Honors American Express Card
• Best luxury hotel card:  Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card
• Best for transfer partners:  Bilt Mastercard®
• Best for gas:  Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card
• Best for companion tickets:  Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card
• Best starter airline card:  Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card
• Best for expedited security screening:  Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card
• Best for first-year value:  Discover it® Miles
• Best for fair credit:  Credit One Bank Wander® Card
• What to know about travel credit cards
• Tips for choosing the best travel card

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How we assess the best travel credit cards

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Best starter travel card

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

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Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.

Intro offer

Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's over $900 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

We calculate this number by multiplying the card's intro offer by Bankrate's valuation of this issuer's rewards program , showing you how much your points or miles are worth in dollars.

Rewards rate

5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠. 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries. 2x on all other travel purchases. 1x on all other purchases.

Regular APR

• 5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠.
• 3x 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries.
• 2x 2x on all other travel purchases.
• 1x 1x on all other purchases.

What we love: This popular card comes loaded with features that can make it easy even for occasional travelers to offset the modest $95 annual fee without eating into hard-earned rewards. Plus, its rewards program is one of the best, giving you some of the most valuable travel redemptions — through both Chase and transfer partners — and Chase card pairing opportunities if you want to build your card portfolio eventually. Learn more: Why expert Margaret Weck loves using the Chase Sapphire Preferred Alternatives:   If you’re looking for an even simpler travel card, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is a terrific option. Its flat rewards rate makes it easy to know exactly how much you’ll earn with every purchase and though it can’t match the Sapphire Preferred’s redemption flexibility, it offers more redemption options than the typical travel rewards card. 

• You earn Ultimate Rewards points with this card — some of the most valuable and flexible rewards around, especially if you pair it with Chase’s cash back cards in the future.
• The card touts significant long-term benefits like anniversary bonus points and travel credits, as well as travel protections like trip cancellation insurance and a car rental collision damage waiver.
• Doesn’t offer airline- or hotel-specific perks like free checked bags, elite status or free night stays.
• The sign-up bonus is decent, but the card has previously offered higher, chart-topping bonus points.
• Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's over $900 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
• Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
• Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 75,000 points are worth $937.50 toward travel.
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
• Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.
• Member FDIC

Best for flat-rate rewards

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

New Venture cardholders can earn 75,000 miles once they spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening

5 Miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel 2 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day

2 Miles - 5 Miles

• 5 Miles 5 Miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• 2 Miles 2 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day

What we love: It’s a great option for travelers looking for a straightforward rewards program and flexible redemption options. You'll earn unlimited miles on all eligible spending and can redeem not only for travel bookings, but also as a statement credit to cover travel purchases made in the past 90 days. Learn more: Why expert Jacqueline DeMarco loves the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card Alternatives: The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card offers a higher rewards rate in some everyday spending categories and potentially more valuable points. Chase points are worth 1.25 cents each if you redeem for travel through Chase, while Capital One miles are only worth 1 cent each when you redeem for travel. Plus, Chase rewards are more helpful for occasional travelers since you can redeem as cash back at 1-cent-per-point value.

• Carries solid perks given its low annual fee, including expedited airport purchase security and hotel experience credits, lost luggage reimbursement and more.
• Zero foreign transaction fees make this an excellent choice for international travelers.
• You can’t offset the annual fee with annual travel credits or bonuses alone as you can with some rival cards.
• The card’s sign-up bonus carries a high spending requirement, so it may be tough to earn if you don’t have large purchases on the horizon.
• 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
• Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
• Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
• Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
• Receive up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
• Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
• Enrich every hotel stay from the Lifestyle Collection with a suite of cardholder benefits, like a $50 experience credit, room upgrades, and more
• Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs

Best for luxury travel

The Platinum Card® from American Express

Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.

Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year. Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.

• 5X Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year.
• 5X Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.

What we love: Luxury travelers and big spenders will appreciate the bevy of travel benefits, including annual statement credits worth around $1,700, elite hotel loyalty status and access to perhaps the most comprehensive airport lounge access available with a credit card. Learn more: Why expert Holly Johnson loves the Platinum Card® from American Express Alternatives: The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card offers a taste of luxury at a lower cost than many premium travel cards. You can unlock a generous rewards rate on both travel and general purchases, complimentary access to popular airport lounge memberships and valuable annual travel credits and anniversary miles.

• Comes with a generous welcome offer and a longer time period to earn it compared to most rewards cards.
• A robust line-up of airline and hotel partners and related perks make this card truly valuable for travelers.
• The $695 annual fee may not be worth it if you don’t spend much on travel frequently or can’t take full advantage of the card’s luxury — and often niche — perks.
• Redeeming and maximizing the card’s credit and benefits requires some legwork and can be a bit confusing.
• Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu.
• Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
• $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
• $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
• The American Express Global Lounge Collection® can provide an escape at the airport. With complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more airport lounge options than any other credit card issuer on the market. As of 03/2023.
• $155 Walmart+ Credit: Save on eligible delivery fees, shipping, and more with a Walmart+ membership. Use your Platinum Card® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership and get up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes back on one membership (excluding Plus Ups) each month.
• $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card®.
• $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. Terms Apply.
• $189 CLEAR® Plus Credit: CLEAR® Plus helps to get you to your gate faster at 50+ airports nationwide and get up to $189 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Card. CLEARLanes are available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues.
• Receive either a $100 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 year period for TSA PreCheck® application fee for a 5-year plan only (through a TSA PreCheck® official enrollment provider), when charged to your Platinum Card®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
• Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card®. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
• Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile.
• $695 annual fee.
• Terms Apply.

Best for no annual fee

Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card

• Earn a bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $200 in travel

5 Miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel 1.25 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day

1.25 Miles - 5 Miles

• 1.25 Miles 1.25 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day

What we love: This card offers some of the same advantages as the Capital One Venture, without the burden of an annual fee. It gives you the chance to earn flat-rate miles on your everyday spending and the option to transfer miles to over 15 loyalty program partners to even cover travel purchases outside Capital One — a unique level of redemption flexibility for a starter travel card. Learn more: Reasons to get the VentureOne Rewards Card Alternatives: A general-purpose flat-rate credit card that offers 2X points or 2 percent cash back on all purchases may bring more value if you don’t travel often and aren’t ready to upgrade to a travel rewards credit card with an annual fee. However, the Discover it® Miles earns a flat-rate 1.5X miles that can also be redeemed for cash back at 1-cent per mile, which is unusual for travel rewards.

• The welcome offer is generous for a no-annual-fee travel credit card.
• Booking hotel stays and rental cars through Capital One Travel nets you an impressive 5X miles.
• Unlike several no-annual-fee travel cards, redeeming for non-travel purchases waters down your rewards’ value.
• Capital One has no major U.S. carrier in its line-up of travel partners.
• $0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
• Earn unlimited 1.25X miles on every purchase, every day
• Enjoy 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; 19.99% - 29.99% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies

Best for foodies

American Express® Gold Card

Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.

Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S. Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X). Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.

• 4X Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
• 4X Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X).
• 3X Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.

What we love: Few credit cards are more rewarding for traveling foodies than the American Express Gold Card. Both the food-related annual credits and the rewards rates at restaurants, U.S. supermarkets and on flights booked directly with airlines or via the Amex travel portal are some of the best on the market. In fact, the up to $240 in credits each year alone nearly make up for the annual fee. Learn more: Why the Amex Gold is worth the annual fee Alternatives: If the Amex Gold Card’s annual fee sounds high, consider the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card . It carries key travel perks, high travel and dining rewards rates, and a much lower annual fee.

• This card features one of the best rewards return rates available on dining, groceries and food deliveries.
• There is no preset spending limit, so you can enjoy extended purchasing power, and you also have the option to pay off purchases with Pay Over Time if necessary.
• Although the card touts a solid collection of travel perks, it doesn’t include popular premium card perks like airport lounge access or trip cancellation/interruption insurance.
• Only eligible airfare earns more than 1X points, while rival cards often earn similar (or higher) reward rates on hotel stays and other travel purchases as well.
• Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X).
• Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
• $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year.
• $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings and earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations. Enrollment required.
• Get a $100 experience credit with a minimum two-night stay when you book The Hotel Collection through American Express Travel. Experience credit varies by property.
• Choose the color that suits your style. Gold or Rose Gold.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees.
• Annual Fee is $250.

Best for everyday spending

Citi Strata Premier℠ Card

• Earn 70,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $700 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com

Earn 10 points per $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on CitiTravel.com. Earn 3 points per $1 on Air Travel and Other Hotel Purchases, at Restaurants, Supermarkets, Gas and EV Charging Stations. Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases

• 10X Earn 10 points per $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on CitiTravel.com.
• 3X Earn 3 points per $1 on Air Travel and Other Hotel Purchases, at Restaurants, Supermarkets, Gas and EV Charging Stations.
• 1X Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases

What we love: This card’s high rewards rate in everyday bonus categories makes it an especially good choice for occasional travelers and people looking for a standalone rewards card. Its practical bonus categories mean you can earn rewards quickly, even if you don’t actually spend a ton on travel. Alternatives:   As long as you don’t mind buying groceries online, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card could be an even more lucrative everyday rewards card. That’s thanks mostly to its high point redemption value (1.25 cents per point when you use points to book travel with Chase, versus just 1 cent per point when you book with Citi using the Strata Premier).

• It’s one of the only travel cards that offers a high rewards rate on groceries, dining and gas, so it should work well whether it’s your standalone card or just one part of your card stack.
• Its annual hotel benefit carries enough value to potentially offset the annual fee on its own.
• The annual hotel benefit, though generous, isn’t very flexible: You’ll only get the $100 discount if you book a single hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) through CitiTravel.com.
• Based on Bankrate’s latest point and mile valuations, Citi ThankYou rewards carry a lower average redemption value than Chase, Amex and Capital One rewards.
• Earn 10 points per $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on CitiTravel.com.
• Earn 3 points per $1 on Air Travel and Other Hotel Purchases, at Restaurants, Supermarkets, Gas and EV Charging Stations.
• Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases
• $100 Annual Hotel Benefit: Once per calendar year, enjoy $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) when booked through CitiTravel.com. Benefit applied instantly at time of booking.
• No expiration and no limit to the amount of points you can earn with this card
• No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases

Best for intro APR

Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

• 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.
• Earn unlimited 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases, with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees and your points don't expire as long as your account remains open.
• 1.5X Earn unlimited 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases, with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees and your points don't expire as long as your account remains open.

What we love: This entry-level travel card keeps things simple for occasional travelers. It offers simple flat-rate rewards and lets you redeem for a broad mix of travel options not typically available on many travel cards, such as cash back toward purchases with travel agencies,  zoos, art galleries and more. It’s even more valuable if you’re a Bank of America customer and can qualify for a rewards boost through the Bank of America Preferred Rewards® program. Learn more: Is the Bank of America Travel Rewards card worth it? Alternatives: The Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card is another great starter travel card, but, unlike many cards in this category, it lets you transfer your miles to airline and hotel partners, potentially for a higher redemption value.

• Its easy-to-earn sign-up bonus and intro APR offers give this card good short-term value.
• No annual fees or foreign transaction fees sweeten this offer.
• It only offers 1.5X points on purchases, and you can’t transfer points can’t to airline partners for more rewards value, so it may not be as lucrative as competing cards.
• The top tiers of the Bank of America Preferred Rewards® program may be out of reach for many cardholders.
• Use your card to book your trip how and where you want - you're not limited to specific websites with blackout dates or restrictions.
• Redeem points for a statement credit to pay for travel or dining purchases, such as flights, hotel stays, car and vacation rentals, baggage fees, and also at restaurants including takeout.
• 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the Intro APR offer ends, a Variable APR that’s currently 19.24% - 29.24% will apply. A 3% Intro balance transfer fee will apply for the first 60 days your account is open. After the Intro balance transfer fee offer ends, the fee for future balance transfers is 4%.
• If you're a Bank of America Preferred Rewards® member, you can earn 25%-75% more points on every purchase. That means instead of earning an unlimited 1.5 points for every $1, you could earn 1.87-2.62 points for every $1 you spend on purchases.
• Contactless Cards - The security of a chip card, with the convenience of a tap.
• This online only offer may not be available if you leave this page or if you visit a Bank of America financial center. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.

Best for point values

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,125 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

Earn 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠. Earn 5x total points on flights through Chase Travel℠. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining. Earn 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

• 10x Earn 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠.
• 5x Earn 5x total points on flights through Chase Travel℠.
• 3x Earn 3x points on other travel and dining.
• 1x Earn 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

What we love: Rewards-savvy travelers will be hard-pressed to find a card with better rewards potential than the Sapphire Reserve. Points are worth 50 percent more through Chase Travel, and potentially more with the right transfer partner. It’s a stellar partner for Chase’s cash back cards and stacks on even more value with enough perks to recoup the annual fee without relying on hard-earned rewards. Learn more: Why expert Holly Johnson loves the Chase Sapphire Reserve Card Alternatives: The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card offers some of the same key perks as the Sapphire Reserve at a much lower cost. Along with a generous rewards rate on both Capital One Travel and general purchases, the card boasts valuable, practical benefits like competitive airport lounge access , up to $300 in annual Capital One Travel credits and 10,000 bonus miles every year on your account anniversary.

• You can kickstart your rewards bank with one of the most valuable sign-up bonuses on the market.
• Its top-tier benefits include up to $300 in annual travel statement credits, Priority Pass airport lounge access, exhaustive travel protections and stand-out partner perks.
• The card’s cost could be a deterrent for some new cardholders, especially if they plan on encountering adding multiple authorized users.
• You won’t get as many luxury hotel and airport lounge perks with this card as you would with some of its rivals.
• Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,125 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
• $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
• Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
• Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 75,000 points are worth $1125 toward travel.
• 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
• Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $100 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®

Best for practical perks

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

• 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

10 Miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel 5 Miles per dollar on flights booked through Capital One Travel 2 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day

2 Miles - 10 Miles

• 10 Miles 10 Miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• 5 Miles 5 Miles per dollar on flights booked through Capital One Travel

What we love: This is the perfect middleground for travelers who want the practical benefits from luxury travel cards without dealing with bloated features and an annual fee upwards of $500. It offers complimentary lounge access, high-earning bonus rewards categories, anniversary credits and bonus miles, which can easily make the card worth it for frequent travelers. Learn more: Capital One Venture X Benefits Guide Alternatives: If a higher annual fee is no issue, consider The Platinum Card® from American Express. It’s a top choice for frequent travelers thanks to its impressive welcome offer and luxury perks like annual travel credits, lounge access and hotel elite status. However, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® may be better if your luxury travel experience calls for racking up more rewards.

• Offers anniversary bonus miles and a chance to earn credits worth hundreds of dollars starting at your first account anniversary.
• Comes with complimentary lounge access at over 1,300 lounges for you and two guests per visit.
• To earn the anniversary credit, travel must be booked through the Capital One Travel portal. That’s not as flexible as some other cards, which offer credits that cover any travel purchases, regardless of how you book.
• Lacks some perks found on other premium travel cards like airline or hotel elite status, which can get you benefits like free checked bags or room upgrades.
• Receive a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
• Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
• Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel
• Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
• Unlimited complimentary access for you and two guests to 1,300+ lounges, including Capital One Lounges and the Partner Lounge Network
• Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more—you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
• Elevate every hotel stay from the Premier or Lifestyle Collections with a suite of cardholder benefits, like an experience credit, room upgrades, and more

Best for pairing

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

Earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) — worth up to $300 cash back. That's 6.5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 4.5% on dining and drugstores, and 3% on all other purchases.

Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service 1.5% on all other purchases

• 5% Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more
• 3% 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service
• 1.5% 1.5% on all other purchases

What we love: Not only does it earn 1.5 percent cash back on general spending, but it also has a bonus cash back rate for drugstores and dining at restaurants. And if you pair it with one or two premium Chase travel cards, you could pool your rewards for better travel redemption value.  Learn more: Why I love the Chase Freedom Unlimited Alternatives: If you want to take advantage of even more rewarding cash back categories and remain in the Chase family, consider the Chase Freedom Flex℠ .

• You can pool rewards with other Chase cards to maximize your earnings.
• The additional rewards rate offer can add even more cash back to your pocket for the first year.
• The welcome offer isn’t as competitive as other cards’ offers.
• Maximizing rewards with this and other Chase cards can get complicated for people who like simple rewards programs.
• Intro Offer: Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!
• Enjoy 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 3% on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year).
• After your first year or $20,000 spent, enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.
• No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open!
• Enjoy 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% - 29.24%.
• No annual fee – You won't have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Unlimited® card
• Keep tabs on your credit health, Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, alerts, and more.

Best for hotel bookings

Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card

• Earn 60,000 bonus points when you spend $4,000 in purchases in the first 3 months – that’s $600 toward your next trip.

Earn unlimited 5X points on hotels Earn unlimited 4X points on airlines Earn unlimited 3X points on other travel and restaurants Earn 1X points on other purchases

• 5X Earn unlimited 5X points on hotels
• 4X Earn unlimited 4X points on airlines
• 3X Earn unlimited 3X points on other travel and restaurants
• 1X Earn 1X points on other purchases

What we love: It offers a great rewards rate on hotel bookings and gives you a chance to earn a $50 annual statement credit with a $50 minimum airline purchase. Add in a solid rate on airline purchases, other travel and restaurants and this card carries great value as a standalone mid-tier card for occasional travelers. Alternatives: If you want to earn travel rewards but don’t actually spend much on hotels and airfare, the lower-tier Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card is also worth a look. Though it earns also rewards on travel, it boasts a great mix of other practical everyday categories (including gas stations).

• You can transfer points to Wells Fargo’s new list of airline and hotel partners, including popular programs like British Airways Executive Club, Choice Privileges and more, which could boost the redemption value of your rewards.
• The $50 annual statement credit offsets more than half the card’s $95 annual fee and should be a cinch to earn if you fly at least once per year.
• Wells Fargo only offers one other card that earns travel rewards (the Autograph), and there is some category overlap between the two, so they may not be as lucrative as some competing card stacks.
• The card doesn’t carry some popular travel perks available on other mid-tier travel cards, such as credits for expedited airport security screening or rideshares.
• Select “Apply Now” to take advantage of this specific offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
• Earn unlimited 5X points on hotels, 4X points on airlines, 3X points on other travel and restaurants, and 1X points on other purchases.
• $95 annual fee.
• Book your travel with the Autograph Journey Card and enjoy Travel Accident Insurance, Lost Baggage Reimbursement, Trip Cancellation and Interruption Protection and Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver.
• Earn a $50 annual statement credit with $50 minimum airline purchase.
• Up to $1,000 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible.
• Find tickets to top sports and entertainment events, book travel, make dinner reservations and more with your complimentary 24/7 Visa Signature® Concierge.

Best no-annual-fee hotel card

Hilton Honors American Express Card

• Earn 70,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points plus a Free Night Reward after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the Hilton Honors American Express Card in the first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer Ends 7/31/2024.

Earn 7X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged on your Card directly with hotels and resorts within the Hilton portfolio. Earn 5X Points per dollar on purchases at U.S. restaurants, at U.S. supermarkets, and at U.S. gas stations. Earn 3X Points for all other eligible purchases on your Card.

• 7X Earn 7X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged on your Card directly with hotels and resorts within the Hilton portfolio.
• 5X Earn 5X Points per dollar on purchases at U.S. restaurants, at U.S. supermarkets, and at U.S. gas stations.
• 3X Earn 3X Points for all other eligible purchases on your Card.

What we love: This card earns rewards in a terrific mix of everyday bonus categories, so it should be easy to rack up Hilton points even if you don’t spend a ton on hotel bookings. Since it charges no annual fee and provides a few Hilton Honors benefits like Silver status, it’s also a great fit if you’re new to hotel cards and want a single no-annual-fee option instead of juggling multiple rewards cards. Learn more: Why expert Holly Johnson loves the Hilton Honors American Express Card Alternatives: The American Express® Green Card could be more flexible since it lets you earn and redeem rewards on a much wider variety of travel purchases, including airfare and bookings with several hotel brands, not just Hilton. You can transfer points to the Hilton Honors program as well, but the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card may be better if you prefer upgraded Hilton-specific rewards, loyalty status and other perks.

• Comes with automatic Silver Elite status, which includes a free fifth award night when you book at least four consecutive nights with points.
• Earns rewards in three of the average person’s biggest spending categories, making it a terrific standalone option for earning Hilton points.
• A higher-tier Hilton card would earn more on Hilton bookings and could be more lucrative for frequent guests, even with an annual fee.
• You can only redeem points with Hilton and its partners, which limits the rewards value you earn on the everyday categories compared to a general-purpose cards’ rewards.
• Earn 7X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged on your Card directly with hotels and resorts within the Hilton portfolio.
• Earn 5X Points per dollar on purchases at U.S. restaurants, at U.S. supermarkets, and at U.S. gas stations.
• Earn 3X Points for all other eligible purchases on your Card.
• Enjoy complimentary Hilton Honors™ Silver status with your Card. Plus, spend $20,000 on eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year and you can earn an upgrade to Hilton Honors™ Gold status through the end of the next calendar year.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
• No Annual Fee.

Best luxury hotel card

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card

• Earn 95,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.

Earn 6X Marriott Bonvoy points for each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy® 3X points at restaurants worldwide and on flights booked directly with airlines 2X points on all other eligible purchases

• 6X Earn 6X Marriott Bonvoy points for each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®
• 3X 3X points at restaurants worldwide and on flights booked directly with airlines
• 2X 2X points on all other eligible purchases

What we love: Frequent Marriott guests looking for luxury card-level perks and elite status should be able to justify this premium card. Along with a terrific rewards rate on Marriott bookings and an annual free night award, you could enjoy generous annual credits for restaurant purchases and Marriott property stays, airport lounge access, elite night credits and more. Learn more: Best Marriott credit cards Alternatives: If you’re looking for top-tier travel perks but want the flexibility to earn and redeem rewards for stays at any hotel chain, consider an elite travel card from Chase or Amex, which can come with generous travel benefits, airport lounge access and the ability to transfer points to Marriott. The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is another lucrative alternative.

• Outperforms other Marriott cards with its boosted rewards on travel-related categories and 21X points at Marriott Bonvoy hotels, thanks to the automatic Platinum Elite status.
• It’s one of the only hotel cards that includes complimentary Priority Pass lounge access, top travel protections and credits for expedited airport security screening.
• Unlocking some of the card’s best perks — like Five Suite Night Awards — requires a $60,000 annual spend, which may be tough to reach even for frequent Marriott guests.
• Unless luxury perks are at the top of your wishlist, the annual fee may not be worth it and a lower-tier hotel card may offer more value overall.
• $300 Brilliant Dining Credit: Each calendar year, get up to $300 (up to $25 per month) in statement credits for eligible purchases made on the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card at restaurants worldwide.
• With Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status, you can receive room upgrades, including enhanced views or suites, when available at select properties and booked with a Qualifying Rate.
• Earn 6X Marriott Bonvoy points for each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. 3X points at restaurants worldwide and on flights booked directly with airlines. 2X points on all other eligible purchases.
• Free Night Award: Receive 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card renewal month. Award can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy points) at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. Certain hotels have resort fees.
• Each calendar year after spending $60,000 on eligible purchases on your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card, you will be eligible to select a Brilliant Earned Choice Award benefit. You can only earn one Earned Choice Award per calendar year. See https://www.choice-benefit.marriott.com/brilliant for Award options.
• $100 Marriott Bonvoy Property Credit: Enjoy your stay. Receive up to a $100 property credit for qualifying charges at The Ritz-Carlton® or St. Regis® when you book direct using a special rate for a two-night minimum stay using your Card.
• Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®: Receive either a statement credit every 4 years after you apply for Global Entry ($100) or a statement credit every 4.5 years after you apply for a five-year membership for TSA PreCheck® (up to $85 through a TSA PreCheck official enrollment provider) and pay the application fee with your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
• Each calendar year with your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card you can receive 25 Elite Night Credits toward the next level of Marriott Bonvoy® Elite status. Limitations apply per Marriott Bonvoy member account. Benefit is not exclusive to Cards offered by American Express. Terms apply.
• Enroll in Priority Pass™ Select, which offers unlimited airport lounge visits to over 1,200 lounges in over 130 countries, regardless of which carrier or class you are flying. This allows you to relax before or between flights. You can enjoy snacks, drinks, and internet access in a quiet, comfortable location.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees on international purchases.
• With Cell Phone Protection, you can be reimbursed, the lesser of, your repair or replacement costs following damage, such as a cracked screen, or theft for a maximum of $800 per claim when your cell phone line is listed on a wireless bill and the prior month's wireless bill was paid by an Eligible Card Account. A $50 deductible will apply to each approved claim with a limit of 2 approved claims per 12-month period. Additional terms and conditions apply. Coverage is provided by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
• $650 Annual Fee.

Best for transfer partners

Bilt Mastercard®

Intro offer is not available for this Wells Fargo credit card.

3x points on dining 2x points on travel 1x points on other purchases Earn up to 1x points on rent payments without the transaction fee, up to 100,000 points each calendar year. When you make at least 5 posted transactions in a statement period using your Bilt Mastercard, you'll earn points on rent and qualifying net purchases.

1X Points - 3X Points

• 3X Points 3x points on dining
• 2X Points 2x points on travel
• 1X Points 1x points on other purchases
• 1X Points Earn up to 1x points on rent payments without the transaction fee, up to 100,000 points each calendar year. When you make at least 5 posted transactions in a statement period using your Bilt Mastercard, you'll earn points on rent and qualifying net purchases.

What we love: Not only is this card is a terrific choice for renters since it earns rewards and waives transaction fees when using it to pay rent, it’s also great for rewards strategists considering the extremely robust travel rewards program. You can earn rewards on travel and dining and your points carry a high value whether you redeem through the Bilt travel portal or one of the many airline and hotel transfer partners. Alternatives: If you like the Bilt card’s travel rewards program but don’t see yourself renting long term, consider the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. It earns generously on both travel and dining and also boasts high-value points and transfer partners. If the way you pay rent doesn’t incur credit card payment fees, a flat-rate card may also be worth weighing. 

• It’s the only card that helps you avoid the fees typically associated with paying rent with a credit card.
• Offers a solid collection of travel perks for a no-annual-fee card, including trip cancellation and interruption protection, trip delay reimbursement and other high-level travel protections.
• You can only use rewards to cover rent, toward a future home down payment or for travel and shopping. Cash back isn’t an option.
• There is no sign-up bonus. Most competing travel cards — even those with no annual fee — offer at least a $200 bonus.
• $0 Annual Fee.
• Earn up to 1x points on rent payments without the transaction fee, up to 100,000 points each calendar year.
• 2x points on travel.
• 3x points on dining.
• 1x points on other purchases.
• Earn points when you make 5 transactions that post each statement period.
• When renting at a Bilt Alliance property, you can choose to have your rent payments automatically reported by Bilt to the three major credit bureaus each month; Experian™, TransUnion™, and Equifax™.

Best for gas

Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card

• Earn 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months - that's a $200 cash redemption value.

Earn unlimited 3X points on restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services and phone plans. Earn 1X points on other purchases

• 3X Earn unlimited 3X points on restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services and phone plans.

What we love: The Wells Fargo Autograph card is a great option for occasional travelers and households on the go looking to earn rewards while avoiding an annual fee and reduced redemption value for cash rewards. It’s one of a few entry-level travel cards to offer high, year-round bonus rewards for gas, dining, transit and other key travel needs. Learn more: Is the Wells Fargo Autograph worth it? Alternatives: If you’re looking for ways to maximize the value of your rewards, you should consider a travel card that lets you transfer your points to airlines or hotels, like the Bilt Mastercard® or Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card.

• While some issuers only reward travel purchases made directly with airlines or through issuer portals, this card lets you shop around for the best deal on third-party travel sites and still earn extra rewards.
• Carries decent perks such as rental car collision damage waiver coverage, roadside assistance and Visa Signature® Concierge benefits, like access to Visa’s Luxury Hotel Collection (terms apply).
• Unlike with traditional travel cards, you cannot transfer your points to airlines or hotels
• The travel perks and intro APR are weak compared to competing travel-oriented cards’ offers.
• Select "Apply Now" to take advantage of this specific offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
• Earn unlimited 3X points on the things that really add up - like restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services, and phone plans. Plus, earn 1X points on other purchases.
• $0 annual fee.
• 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases. 20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% variable APR thereafter.
• Up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible.
• Redeem your rewards points for travel, gift cards, or statement credits. Or shop at millions of online stores and redeem your rewards when you check out with PayPal.

Best for companion tickets

Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card

• Earn 50,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.

Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels. Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets. Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.

• 3X Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
• 2X Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets.
• 1X Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.

What we love: The annual companion certificate on Main Cabin domestic flights (taxes and fees apply) comes with this card after the first year is valuable enough to justify the annual fee even if you’re just looking for great Delta perks to make travel smoother with a partner. Plus, the companion certificate is easier to obtain than other airline cards’ since it carries no spending requirement that must be met beyond the card’s annual fee. Alternatives: The American Express® Green Card could be a great alternative since it charges a lower $150 annual fee, lets you earn and redeem rewards on travel with any eligible airline (not just Delta) and offers credits for Loungebuddy lounge access and Clear Plus. You can even transfer points to Delta at a 1:1 ratio.

• Boasts several valuable travel perks, including priority boarding, a free first checked bag and specialized annual credits for select rideshare services and reservations with Delta Stays and Resy.
• Gets you closer to Medallion Status and discounts on in-flight purchases, complimentary upgrades, and more.
• Its rewards rate on non-travel purchases is lacking — a general-purpose travel card could potentially offer better rewards value and flexibility for rewards travel outside Delta.
• No longer offers complimentary Delta Sky Club lounge access as of this year, although airport lounge access is a staple perk for premium travel cards.
• Receive a Companion Certificate on Main Cabin domestic, Caribbean, or Central American roundtrip flights each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Ticket requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights and no more than $250 for roundtrip international flights (both for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
• Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars each Medallion Qualification Year and get closer to Status with MQD Headstart.
• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
• Earn $1 Medallion® Qualification Dollar for each $20 of purchases made on your Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card in a calendar year and get a boost toward achieving Medallion Status for next Medallion Year.
• Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
• Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets and earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
• $120 Resy Credit: With the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card Resy Credit, earn up to $10 per month in statement credits on eligible Resy purchases using your enrolled Card.
• $120 Rideshare Credit: You can earn up to $10 back in statement credits each month on U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers after you pay with your Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card. Enrollment Required.
• Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights.
• Receive Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding on Delta flights; board early, stow your carry-on bag and settle in sooner.
• Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®: Receive $100 back for Global Entry or up to $85 back for TSA PreCheck® after you apply through any Official Enrollment Provider. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card Members with an eligible ticket will be added to the Complimentary Upgrade list, after Delta SkyMiles Medallion Members and Reserve Card Members.
• $350 Annual Fee.

Best starter airline card

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card

• Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Earn 2X points on Southwest® purchases. Earn 2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare. Earn 2X points on internet, cable, and phone services; select streaming. Earn 2X points on Rapid Rewards® hotel and car rental partners. Earn 1X points on all other purchases.

• 2X Earn 2X points on Southwest® purchases.
• 2X Earn 2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare.
• 2X Earn 2X points on internet, cable, and phone services; select streaming.
• 2X Earn 2X points on Rapid Rewards® hotel and car rental partners.
• 1X Earn 1X points on all other purchases.

What we love: This card’s anniversary bonus offers enough value to nearly offset the annual fee on its own, so it should be a terrific low-stakes option whether you’re new to airline cards or a regular Southwest flyer looking for a low-maintenance card. Plus, its sign-up bonus value is on par with the value you’ll get with much pricier airline and travel cards. Learn more: Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus benefits guide Alternatives: The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card could offer better value overall, despite its $149 annual fee. It carries an annual $75 Southwest travel credit and 7,500 bonus points each year on your account anniversary — more than enough value to justify the higher fee.

• You’ll automatically earn 3,000 Rapid Rewards points each year after your account anniversary, which could offset much of the card’s already-low annual fee.
• Delivers the same hefty sign-up bonus as higher-tier Southwest cards.
• Unlike several travel cards, it doesn’t carry rewards categories for popular everyday purchases like gas or dining.
• It may not be the best Southwest value for frequent flyers since it poses a 3 percent foreign transaction fee and doesn’t offer perks like upgraded boardings or elite status benefits.
• 3,000 anniversary points each year.
• Earn 2X points on Southwest® purchases.
• Earn 2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare.
• Earn 2X points on internet, cable, and phone services; select streaming.
• 2 EarlyBird Check-In® each year.
• Earn 1 point for every $1 spent on all other purchases.

Best for savers

Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card

• Receive 60,000 online bonus points - a $600 value - after you make at least $4,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.

Earn unlimited 2 points for every $1 spent on travel and dining purchases. Earn unlimited 1.5 points for every $1 spent on all other purchases.

• 2X Earn unlimited 2 points for every $1 spent on travel and dining purchases.
• 1.5X Earn unlimited 1.5 points for every $1 spent on all other purchases.

What we love: If you do your banking with Bank of America and qualify for Preferred Rewards status, this card could provide an exclusive 25 percent to 75 percent rewards rate boost. The  rewards rates — 2X points on dining and travel, with 1.5X points on all other purchases — could increase to an incredible 3.5X on travel and dining with an unrivaled flat 2.62X points rate. Learn more: Why expert Sara Coleman loves the Bank of America Premium Rewards Card Alternatives: The similarly-priced Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is one of the best alternatives thanks to its stellar travel protections, yearly bonus rewards and stronger rewards program. However, flat-rate cards like the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card or the Discover it® Miles card could be lucrative if you don’t think the $95 annual fee is worth it.

• The $95 annual fee is relatively affordable for this card category thanks to the up to $100 in yearly airline incidental statement credits.
• You can smooth out your travel experience with great benefits like credits toward TSA PreCheck or Global Entry and comprehensive travel insurance.
• Attaining the highest rewards rate is not an easy feat, since you’ll need to hold significant funds in Bank of America accounts.
• This card does not offer a few popular premium travel perks like lounge access.
• Low $95 annual fee.
• Earn unlimited 2 points for every $1 spent on travel and dining purchases and unlimited 1.5 points for every $1 spent on all other purchases. No limit to the points you can earn and your points don't expire as long as your account remains open.
• If you're a Bank of America Preferred Rewards® member, you can earn 25%-75% more points on every purchase. That means you could earn 2.5-3.5 points on travel and dining purchases and 1.87 - 2.62 points on all other purchases, for every $1 you spend.
• Redeem for cash back as a statement credit, deposit into eligible Bank of America® accounts, credit to eligible Merrill® accounts, or gift cards or purchases at the Bank of America Travel Center.
• Get up to $100 in Airline Incidental Statement Credits annually and TSA PreCheck®/Global Entry Statement Credits of up to $100, every four years.
• Travel Insurance protections to assist with trip delays, cancellations and interruptions, baggage delays and lost luggage.
• No foreign transaction fees.

Best for first-year value

Discover it® Miles

• Unlimited Bonus: Unlimited Mile-for-Mile match for all new cardmembers—only from Discover. Discover gives you an unlimited match of all the Miles you’ve earned at the end of your first year. You could turn 35,000 Miles to 70,000 Miles. There’s no signing up, no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a Miles-for-Miles match.

Automatically earn unlimited 1.5x Miles on every dollar of every purchase.

• 1.5X Automatically earn unlimited 1.5x Miles on every dollar of every purchase.

What we love: In addition to the exceptionally valuable Discover Match® , this card combines solid flat-rate rewards with consumer-friendly terms, like minimal fees and an equal value for both travel and cash back redemptions. Travelers who value simplicity will appreciate this card’s straightforward rewards and adaptability — even when you aren’t traveling. Learn more: Why expert Holly Johnson loves the Discover it® Miles Alternatives: The Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card carries a more straightforward and still easy-to-reach welcome bonus. The VentureOne card also gives you the option of transferring miles to more than a dozen airline and hotel partners, which could increase the redemption value of your rewards.

• All miles earned in your first year will be matched at the end of the year, which could make it one of the most valuable first-year offers for no annual fee.
• Miles don’t lose value when they’re redeemed for cash back, which gives it a leg up over many travel rewards programs for occasional travelers.
• You’ll miss out on pretty standard travel perks like travel insurance, and car rental damage protection.
• The rewards structure lacks flexibility; you won’t be able to transfer your miles or use them to book travel.
• Automatically earn unlimited 1.5x Miles on every dollar of every purchase
• No annual fee
• Turn Miles into cash. Or redeem as a statement credit for your travel purchases like airfare, hotels, rideshares, gas stations, restaurants and more.
• 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases. Then 18.24% - 28.24% Standard Variable Purchase APR will apply.
• Discover could help you reduce exposure of your personal information online by helping you remove it from select people-search sites that could sell your data. It’s free, activate with the mobile app.
• Discover is accepted nationwide by 99% of the places that take credit cards.
• Terms and conditions apply.

Best for fair credit

Credit One Bank Wander® Card

Intro offer is not available for this Credit One Bank credit card.

Earn 10x points on eligible hotels and car rentals booked through the Credit One Bank travel partner site Earn 5x points on eligible travel, dining, and gas Earn 1x points on all other purchases

• 10X Earn 10x points on eligible hotels and car rentals booked through the Credit One Bank travel partner site
• 5X Earn 5x points on eligible travel, dining, and gas
• 1X Earn 1x points on all other purchases

What we love: The Credit One Bank Wander® Card is a solid option if you want to earn points on travel but have trouble qualifying for mainstream travel cards. Not only is this card accessible with only fair credit, but its rewards program boasts generously high rewards rates in key travel categories. Learn more: Best travel cards for people with bad or fair credit Alternatives: If you don’t mind putting down a refundable security deposit, consider a no-annual-fee secured card like the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Secured Credit Card *. It’s a unique secured card that lets you build credit while earning rewards in a category of your choice (with travel just one of many popular options) as well as grocery stores and wholesale clubs.

• It’s one of the only travel rewards cards available with a fair credit score, making it a decent option if you want to earn travel rewards as you work on your score.
• Provides 5X points in travel, dining and gas, plus 10X points on eligible hotel and rental car bookings through Credit One Bank — rare and impressive rates with only fair credit.
• Its annual fee is high compared to other cards you can get with a fair credit score , so it may not be the best fit if you prioritize building credit over earning rewards.
• Other travel cards may offer better perks, fewer redemption restrictions and more value, so it may be worth working on your score with a lower-cost card before committing to the costly annual fee.
• Earn 10x points on eligible hotels and car rentals booked through the Credit One Bank travel partner site
• Earn 5x points on eligible travel, dining, and gas
• Earn 1x points on all other purchases
• Redeem your reward points for statement credits, gift cards, merchandise, flights, hotels, and more
• With $0 Fraud Liability, you won’t be responsible for unauthorized charges
• Free Online Credit Score and Credit Report summary, terms apply
• If you are a Covered Borrower under the Military Lending Act, you may get a different offer
• See Rates & Fees

Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit  AmericanExpress.com/benefitsguide  for more details. Underwritten by Amex assurance company.

The information about the American Express® Green Card and Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Secured card has been collected independently by Bankrate.com. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuers.

Compare Bankrate's best travel credit cards of 2024

What are travel credit cards.

Travel credit cards allow cardholders to earn points or miles on a variety of purchases (typically travel-related), which are redeemable for travel bookings, statement credits, gift cards and more.

The best travel credit cards do more than help you foot the bill for your next flight — travel cards also offer perks to upgrade your entire travel experience. Trip insurance , annual travel credits, concierge services and lounge access are all common benefits. Airline and hotel co-branded credit cards sometimes offer specific discounts and perks for loyalty program members.

Pros and cons of travel credit cards

Although a well-chosen travel card can pay huge dividends, it might not be the right move for every traveler. Before you apply, take time to weigh the benefits versus the drawbacks of travel credit cards .

Tips on choosing the best travel credit card for you

The right travel credit card for you will carry features and benefits that give you the best value. To help you narrow down your choices, here are the steps to choosing the best travel card.

How to choose a travel credit card

1. know how you prefer to travel.

Knowing whether your travel expenses lean toward airfare, hotel stays or a mix of other travel will help you decide whether you should get an airline card, hotel card or general-purpose travel card. A co-branded airline or hotel credit card may be a good fit if you mostly travel with a certain brand and want exclusive privileges to enhance your experience. A general-purpose travel card is better if you prefer to keep your travel options open.

2. Prioritize redemption value

You may have to pick between simplicity and maximum value when comparing cards and rewards programs. Many travel cards offer a standard point or mile redemption value of 1 cent when you redeem toward travel through the issuer portal, but some cards can get you a higher redemption value when you transfer rewards to airline or hotel partners. However, it's common for many travel reward programs to reduce the redemption value toward non-travel options or limit these redemption options altogether. If you prefer simplicity over maximizing rewards, you may want to consider cards that allow you to redeem points or miles at an equal 1-cent value toward general travel purchase credits, cash back or other non-travel options.

3. Match your card to your spending habits

Take a look at your typical spending and find which travel categories and non-travel categories you spend the most in to help you choose a card that offers a high rewards rate for your regular spending. Just make sure you factor in rewards spending caps.

4. Note what's worth the extra money

High rewards rates and valuable travel perks are the biggest reasons to get a travel card, but many of the best cards carry a high annual fee. You could stick with a no-annual-fee travel card (or at least one with around a $99 fee) if you're mainly focused on earning rewards, but you may have to pay up to $500 or more for luxurious perks like airport lounge access, comprehensive travel insurance and hundreds of dollars in annual travel credits .

5. Look toward your next trip abroad

If you travel overseas, check to see if the card you're considering charges a foreign transaction fee. And since some credit cards aren't as widely accepted as others, you'll also want to make sure your credit card will work when traveling overseas . For example, merchants may not accept Discover and American Express cards as widely as Visa and Mastercard. If a trip is coming up in the next three to six months, keep an eye out for the big sign-up bonuses travel cards are known for. As a rule of thumb, the higher the annual fee, the higher the sign-up bonus should be.

Co-branded travel cards vs. general travel cards

Experts typically divide travel credit cards into two categories: co-branded travel cards and general travel cards. Co-branded cards are linked to a particular airline or hotel, while general travel cards offer more flexible reward opportunities. Here’s why and when you might want one or the other.

• Co-branded cards
• General travel cards

Co-branded travel cards tend to offer higher rewards rates on eligible travel purchases in exchange for limiting your reward redemption options to just one airline or hotel program . These cards may also feature more specific perks associated with the respective hotel or airline, such as free award nights, complimentary airline elite status or priority boarding — which general-purpose travel cards don’t often carry).

However, you won’t be able to use your rewards with a wide variety of different hotels and airlines like general-purpose cards allow. Plus, despite co-branded travel cards’ typically higher rewards rates, many brand-specific rewards tend to be worth less than the potential value of general-purpose cards’ points and miles.

When to get a co-branded travel card : When you often fly or stay with a specific airline or hotel and want to maximize your benefits with that brand.

General travel cards earn rewards on various travel categories and aren’t limited to a particular airline or hotel. Such cards may lack some of the dedicated perks you’ll find on a co-branded travel card, such as in-flight discounts, but make up for it with rewards flexibility and broader perks like general travel credits, expedited security screening and wider airport lounge access. 

The top travel cards even let you transfer your points or miles to airline and hotel loyalty programs, often at a 1:1 rate. Redeeming with some airlines and hotels can even make your rewards more valuable than they would be if you redeemed with the card issuer.

When to get a general travel card : When you have no preferred airline or hotel and want the additional flexibility a general travel card offers. 

Who should get a travel credit card?

A travel credit card is almost always worth it for frequent travelers or anyone who wants to earn rewards toward their next vacation.

If you can save up airline miles, rack up points for free nights at hotels or get discounted travel through your credit card issuer, you’re on your way to significant travel savings. However, the right travel card for you will depend on your travel habits.

Frequent travelers

Naturally, the ideal candidate for a travel card is someone who travels a lot or plans to book several flights and hotel stays per year. However, in some cases, you don’t have to be a frequent traveler to reap the benefits of a travel rewards card. A number of cards offer good rewards rates on general purchases.

Travel beginners

If you’re new to travel rewards, a good place to start is with a travel card that makes it easy to earn and redeem points, without requiring you to navigate a complex rewards program or worry about tiered rewards rates or varying point redemption values. 

Brand loyalists

If you tend to book travel with the same brands frequently or already belong to an airline or hotel loyalty program, a co-branded travel card can offer terrific value.  Airline- and hotel-specific rewards cards often earn a top rate on bookings with the brand as well as exclusive perks like lounge access and automatic elite status. 

Business travelers

Some of the most valuable travel credit cards are business cards . Whether you're a freelancer on the go or the CEO of a Fortune 500, the right travel credit card can help you earn high rewards rates on everyday business purchases. 

International travelers

If you frequently travel abroad, a card with no foreign transaction fees is a great way to help you avoid extra costs on overseas purchases. Plus, if you hate waiting in line at airport security or customs, a lot of travel cards offer statement credits to reimburse you for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fees.

Luxury travelers

Luxury travel cards often charge a pretty penny but also offer a ton of value via perks like lounge access and annual travel credits. These perks not only make travel more comfortable, but also often carry enough value to offset the card’s cost on their own.

Still unsure if a travel credit card is right for you? Check out our Credit Card Spender Type Tool where you can get personalized credit card recommendations based on your credit score, spending habits and daily needs.

Here’s how a Bankrate editor chose his travel card

Here’s how a bankrate editor chose his travel card.

With all of this advice in mind, let’s see how a credit card expert made their pick. Here’s Bankrate editor Nouri Zarrugh on how he chose his travel card:

When it comes to earning rewards, I’ve always stuck with cash back cards, preferring the simplicity of knowing exactly how much my rewards are worth and the ease of redeeming for statement credits. Recently, though, I decided I wanted to travel a bit more frequently, and I figured a new travel rewards card could be a great tool to help me earn free trips. When choosing the right card for me, a few major points of consideration stood out: Cost: I didn’t feel like I traveled enough to justify a huge annual fee. Simplicity : I wanted to stick with a single, streamlined travel card and not worry about juggling multiple rewards programs or rewards rates. Perks : While I didn’t need anything too fancy, I thought it might be nice to have a perk like TSA Precheck included, since I hate waiting in long airport security lines. To my surprise, the card that stood out most was the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card. Though it carried an intimidating annual fee of $395 ( See Rates & Fees ), I found this cost was more than worth it once I dug into the details. In fact, its benefits were so valuable, I barely needed to worry about offsetting the cost.  Two of its annual perks — a $300 Capital One travel credit and 10,000 bonus miles every year on my account anniversary — are valuable enough to offset the fee on their own. This means as long as I take one flight a year, I can basically break even on the card. Any rewards or perks I get beyond that feel like pure upside. It’s a huge bonus, then, that the card also includes practical benefits like Priority Pass lounge access and a credit of up to $100 toward the cost of Global Entry or TSA PreCheck. While I’ve never frequented airport lounges, I see these privileges as essentially free considering the value of the annual travel credit and bonus miles. So, I figure, why not take advantage?  For me, the Venture X strikes the perfect balance: A flat rewards rate that makes it easy to earn miles on everything I buy; flexible redemption through Capital One or via transfer to airlines and hotels, and practical perks I know I’ll use when I travel. I never imagined I’d have a $395 travel card in my wallet, but for me, it’s at worst a coupon for a flight every year, which can nudge me to take that next trip. — Nouri Zarrugh, Editor, Bankrate

Travel benefits may differ from card to card, but some of the most popular travel cards available often feature a few key perks. 

Travel insurance

Travel cards may offer various travel insurances , such as trip delay protection, trip cancellation insurance, lost baggage insurance or car rental insurance. These benefits aren’t worth anything until you need them, but you’ll be glad you have them when your flight is canceled or your luggage gets lost.

Travel credits

Credits toward TSA PreCheck or Global Entry are a popular and common benefit on many travel cards. You can typically use this credit once every four years, which roughly corresponds to how long a TSA PreCheck or Global Entry membership lasts. Some cards may also provide an annual credit toward Clear Plus — another expedited security membership. Higher-end travel cards often offer annual statement credits toward travel purchases, and many of these credits nearly offset these cards’ annual fees. 

In-flight perks

Co-branded airline cards typically offer some airport and in-flight benefits on top of their reward-earning capabilities. These can include discounts on in-flight purchases (usually 25 percent back on refreshments and WiFi), free checked bags, flight seating upgrades or priority boarding. 

Free hotel award nights

Co-branded hotel cards may include free hotel award nights annually as part of their benefits. Some cards also add an extra complimentary awards night to your stay if you’ve booked a certain number of consecutive nights. These nights are typically capped at a certain value (sometimes based on the card or your elite status), and may be valuable enough to make up for some cards’ annual fees.

Airport lounge access

One of the most popular (and valuable) travel benefits featured on high-end and luxury travel cards is complimentary access to airport lounges. The lounges you gain access to depend on the card, though co-branded cards will often grant access to the lounge corresponding to the card’s airline. The Amex Platinum card currently offers the best airport lounge access .

If you want to add a credit card to your portfolio for your travel needs, knowing what cards are popular and why people like them can help steer your decision. We regularly stay abreast of these conversations online and noticed two travel cards come up regularly: the Chase Sapphire Reserve and The Platinum Card from American Express .

These cards shine because they offer some of the best rates on travel purchases and the most comprehensive set of benefits and perks . Despite their annual fees, what you get in return can far outweigh your costs. And the conversation around these two cards isn’t new: Is the effort of maximizing their perks worth it?

What people say about travel credit cards perks

The Sapphire Reserve is often referred to as the gold standard in travel benefits and protections, and the value of its trip insurance is a big part of that. A member of the Rick Steves Forum remarks on the value of the insurance: “It has pretty extensive coverage wherever I travel … my entire trip is covered as long as I charged any portion of the trip to my card.” This feature is unique to the Sapphire Reserve and sets it apart from other premium cards, which require you to charge your entire trip purchase to the card to have active coverage.

But using trip insurance isn’t always a simple process. As a user in the r/CreditCards forum on Reddit cautions: “Credit card travel insurance in general is very specific on what it covers, and people tend to overestimate just how useful the coverage actually is,” they write. “These are named peril policies, so unless you see your exact situation as a covered hazard the policies won't pay out.”

The Platinum Card from American Express gets a lot of buzz for reasons similar to the Sapphire Reserve. The card gives so many benefits, credits and additional perks that it’s often called a coupon book for luxury travel. But for many people, the value comes down to whether they’re willing to do the work to maximize its features. Another r/CreditCards member says they use the card’s Hilton and Marriott status boosters, rental car company loyalty program automatic status features, Centurion lounge access, hotel and airline incidental credits, membership credits and more. Using all these features helps them offset the annual fee.

While some people love maximizing the card’s features to extract  as much value as possible, others, like this Redditor, think it’s too much work:

“The only benefit the Platinum card really adds is Centurion and Delta Sky lounge access but only to the [cardholder] … I believe the Platinum is worth [it] at least the first year for the [sign-up] bonus but then it doesn't get much use after that. Trust me the credits are really annoying to use.” — r/CreditCards user

These two premium cards stand out from the rest because they offer the most comprehensive features available to suit your travel needs and protect you from any issues that arise. The Chase Sapphire Reserve is an exceptional option to protect you from travel issues, but make sure you know the fine print. While the Amex Platinum may not be as ideal for travel protections, the credits offered more than offset its annual fee if you can put in the effort to fully maximize them.

Whether you’re a beginner or seasoned cardholder, your travel card should always work in your favor by offering the features and benefits you’ll actually use and that make your travels more enjoyable. But whether you’re willing to put in the effort to maximize a card’s value is something you’ll need to decide for yourself.

*The quotes and citations included on this page have been verified by our editorial team and are accurate as of the posting date. Be sure to check the issuer's website/terms and conditions for all up to date content. Outlinked content may contain views and opinions that do not reflect the views and opinions of Bankrate.

Credit card points and miles are two of the key types of credit card rewards , along with cash back. You’ll earn points and miles by making purchases with your credit card, but you can typically redeem these rewards for travel, gift cards and more — not just statement credits.

Points and miles tend to be more flexible than cash back, but since their value depends on how you redeem them — and, in the case of travel redemptions, where you’re going, when you book, your fare class and more — it may take a bit more effort to make the most of them.

What are your points and miles worth?

Since many airlines and hotels use dynamic pricing models that continually optimize airfare and room prices, it can be hard to know exactly how much your rewards are worth without doing a little math.

Luckily, you don’t need to be a travel hacker to get a sense of this idea. Before you redeem, you can check your reward redemption value by dividing the cost of a plane or hotel booking in cash by its cost in points or miles. This calculation will result in the cash value of your points or miles.

You can also compare this value to Bankrate’s latest points and miles valuations to determine if you’re getting a good deal on your redemptions. Bankrate collected data on hundreds of bookings across dozens of airline, hotel and credit card rewards programs and estimated how much each program’s rewards are worth on average .

• Airline rewards values
• Hotel rewards values
• Credit card program rewards values

The table below shows Bankrate’s estimated reward redemption value for a variety of popular airline loyalty programs. You’ll notice how widely the value varies between airlines, with some offering close to 3 cents per point in average redemption value and others struggling to meet a 1-cent-per-point value.

Keep in mind, however, that these values are averages based on a variety of fare classes, destinations, booking periods and more. For example, while Bankrate estimates Delta SkyMiles carry an average redemption value of around 1.2 cents per mile, they could be worth more or less depending on the details of your booking. 

*Based on weighted average of median point/mile values across economy and first/business class fares.

Like airline miles, hotel points fluctuate in value. The table below shows Bankrate’s estimated point values for some of the most popular hotel brands. 

As you can see, hotel points tend to be worth less than airline and credit card rewards on average, often carrying less than 1 cent per point in redemption value. That said, hotel loyalty programs sometimes offer more favorable exchange rates when you transfer rewards from a credit card rewards program. For example, you may be able to turn 1,000 credit card points into 2,000 hotel points (a 2:1 transfer ratio). 

*Based on median point values across budget, mid-tier and luxury hotel bookings.

Unlike hotel and airline rewards programs, credit card reward programs typically earn points or miles that offer a consistent redemption value when you use them with the issuer. Though the redemption value of your rewards may vary based on how you redeem, each redemption method should offer a consistent baseline value. 

Some credit card rewards programs may also allow you to transfer your points or miles to airline and hotel loyalty programs, which could boost their value considerably. For each major credit card rewards program, we estimate a baseline redemption value (assuming you book for travel with the issuer) and a Bankrate’s Value, which averages the program’s best-value transfer partners.

*Based on an average of the issuer’s five highest-value transfer partners (if available).

When to use rewards vs. cash

To demonstrate when it’s best to use your reward miles versus paying in cash, we set up this example:

We estimate American Airlines AAdvantage miles are worth 1.0 cents. If you book a seat in the main cabin on a one-way flight from Boston to Miami, and it costs either $139 or 21,500 miles, your miles are only worth $0.006 ($139 / 21,500 miles = $0.006). Since your miles for this flight are worth less than 1.0 cents, you may want to save your miles and pay cash for this flight.

But if you book a first-class seat on the same flight for $433 or 31,500 miles, your miles are now worth $0.013 ($433 / 31,500 = $0.013). Since 1.3 cents is higher than our latest valuation, you’re coming out ahead if you use your miles to pay for this flight.

Bankrate experts share their advice on using travel credit cards

It’s important to know how to maximize your rewards and perks. Otherwise, a travel card could end up being a money pit. Here are a few pointers from our experts for making the most of your travel card: 

Combine cards to maximize rewards

Knowing how much you spend in different categories and which merchants are eligible for rewards will help you earn more and build an optimized stack of rewards cards. A flat-rate card is often a great starting point to earn the same rate on every purchase you make. As you build out a rewards strategy, you can incorporate a card with bonus categories to earn even more in your highest spending areas.

Expert Insight:

“For a long time, I’ve used a combination of Chase credit cards known as the Chase trifecta for all my family’s spending…. [I] don’t typically use my Sapphire Reserve for everyday spending and bills. Since it only offers 1X points on non-bonus category spending, I use my Freedom Unlimited to make sure I earn a minimum of 1.5 percent cash back on everything I buy.” “I use each card strategically to earn as much in rewards as possible, then I pool them in my Sapphire Reserve account to redeem them for airfare, excursions, hotels and more.” — Holly D. Johnson — Award-winning personal finance writer and Bankrate contributor: Why I love the Chase Sapphire Reserve

Maximize your rewards value with transfer partners and issuer travel

Save your rewards for the most valuable redemption options. Travel points and miles often lose value toward non-travel options like cash back, so you’ll want to redeem your rewards for travel through the issuer portal for at least 1 cent per point or mile. However, transferring your rewards to the right airline or hotel partner program is usually worth the extra effort since it could net you even more value.

Expert Insight

“When I redeem my points through the Chase Ultimate Rewards program, the most I can get is 1.25 cents apiece, which is pretty good. However, if I transfer them to a partner airline’s loyalty program, I will often get much more. For example, I can transfer my points to United Airlines MileagePlus and use them to pay for flights. When I do, I generally get a value of 2 or more cents per point — in line with Bankrate estimates that Chase Ultimate Rewards points are worth around 2 cents apiece on average when used with the right transfer partner.” — Margaret Wack — Personal finance expert and Bankrate contributor: Why I love the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

Make the most of your travel perks

Travel benefits are one of the main reasons to get a travel card, and are often key to making up a card’s annual fee. Be sure to read the fine print to make sure you can take full advantage of these offers . For example, one card’s travel credit may apply to any travel purchase, including airfare, while another card’s may only cover costs like baggage fees or in-flight purchases. 

“This is the year to take inventory of your credit cards and make sure they’re serving you well. If you’re paying an annual fee, look for a card with recurring benefits. Whether it’s annual award nights, waived luggage fees or elite status benefits, these perks can offset your annual fee and make your travels more pleasant … Despite putting minimal spending on my Hilton Honors Amex Aspire card, I keep renewing it every year. That’s because the card provides automatic Hilton Diamond elite status, which can easily offset the $550 annual fee. Recurring card benefits like [these] can save you a lot on travel and are worth considering when shopping for a new credit card.” — Ariana Arghandewal — Travel rewards expert and Bankrate contributor: Five benefits you need from a travel credit card

Plan for the sign-up bonus

The best travel cards come with generous welcome offers, but these bonuses may require a high spend in a short timeframe. That’s why it’s important to consider whether the spending requirement fits with your typical spending habits or whether you need to plan purchases to meet the requirement. Just be sure not to overextend yourself or take on debt you can’t pay back just to earn a bonus — interest and fees can easily eat through any value you’d get.

“Keep in mind that credit card sign-up offers change often. So if you’re interested in a particular card but not blown away by its current offer (there are some for 100,000 points or more that aren’t always worth the trouble), it could be worth your while to wait for a better one.” — Ariana Arghandewal — Travel rewards expert and Bankrate contributor: 6 ways to get bigger credit card bonuses

Look out for limited-time offers, partner perks and other benefits

Keeping an eye out for limited-time offers like extraordinarily high sign-up bonuses, perks with partner services (like rideshares or delivery services) and other reward-earning opportunities is a great way to squeeze the most value from your travel card. Issuers sometimes provide shopping and travel portals and card-linked reward programs for select purchases (like for pre-paid dining or participating merchant spending), which can help you bank extra rewards.

“Keep an eye on your email inbox and rewards portal for any limited-time promotions your issuer may be offering. Many American Express cards feature Amex Offers, which lets you access perks like statement credits for spending a certain amount on specific hotels and other retailers.  Other cards, like the Capital One Venture X, also have occasional promotional offers, such as a credit for 5 percent back on VRBO rentals.” — Lori Zaino — Travel expert and Bankrate contributor: How to maximize credit cards for cheaper accommodations this holiday season

Track your spending and rewards each account statement

Track your favorite stores’ and services’ merchant category codes (MCCs) to fine-tune your spending habits for maximum rewards. If you notice your expenses changing, this practice may also help you notice whether you need to change which rewards cards you carry.

“The first step to optimizing your spending is to take the time to collect the MCCs of stores you frequently shop at. During the process, you might find that some stores in the same chain may have different MCCs, depending on their primary inventory. Even different counters or sections in the same department store may carry different MCCs. You can use this to your advantage if you know one location near you will provide a better cash back rate than the other. These “loopholes” can provide great opportunities to reap cash back on purchases that typically wouldn’t earn rewards.” — Garrett Yarbrough — Writer and credit cards expert at Bankrate: Merchant category codes: How to earn more cash back

Our data: What credit score do you need for the best travel cards?

It’s no secret that your credit score heavily influences which cards you’re likely to get approval for. But how good does your credit need to be to get the best credit cards for travel? We analyzed our data of Bankrate readers who applied for credit cards on our pages in 2023 and compared the approval rates of readers’ different credit tiers.

We found that, on average, 61.9 percent of users with excellent credit were approved for travel cards on our site. Then, an average of 39.5 percent and 19.5 percent of users with good and fair credit, respectively, got approval for travel credit cards they applied to.

If you have fair or bad credit, you still have options for travel credit cards. For example, the Credit One Bank Wander Card caters to people with fair credit — 57 percent of people with fair credit who applied on our site in 2023 were approved for this card , according to our data.

Obviously, the better your credit, the more likely you are to get the card you apply for , but other factors can affect your application. Issuers may also consider your income, recent credit applications, homeownership status and monthly rental or mortgage payment. Keep these other factors in mind with your credit score when you apply for credit cards.

Have more questions for our credit cards editors? Feel free to send us an email , find us on Facebook , or Tweet us @Bankrate .

When evaluating the best travel cards, we consider a mix of factors, including how cards score in our proprietary card rating system and whether cards offer features that fit the priorities of a diverse group of cardholders, from earning rewards in popular categories to scoring a large sign-up bonus or high-value perks. Whenever possible, we also feature cards that are available at various credit levels and price points. 

We analyzed over 150 of the most popular cards and scored each based on its rewards rate, estimated annual earnings, welcome bonus value, APR, fees, perks and more to determine whether it belonged in this month’s roundup of the best travel cards.

Here are some of the key factors that we considered:

Great rewards value

The primary criteria for a rewards-earning card’s rating is its rewards value. This includes the card’s average rewards rate, estimated annual rewards earnings, sign-up bonus value and reward redemption value.

To estimate a card’s average annual rewards earnings, we first calculate its average rewards rate based on how much it earns in different bonus categories and how closely its categories align with the average person’s spending habits. In other words, we assess whether the card earns rewards at a high rate in the most popular spending categories. 

We use consumer spending data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) to get a reliable third-party measure of people’s spending habits. The most recent BLS data estimates average total spending in 2022 was $72,967 per consumer. We then narrow our focus to which purchases are likely to be put on a credit card and earn rewards, subtracting expenditures like housing, vehicle purchases and education. This gives us a total “chargeable” annual spend of around $25,500.  

This includes the following spending by category:

• Groceries: $5,700
• Dining out: $3,600
• Entertainment: $2,400
• Gas: $3,100
• Apparel and services: $1,900

Using this data, we assign a weighting to each of a card’s bonus categories. For example, a card’s grocery rewards rate receives a 22 percent weighting based on how much of the average person’s budget is spent on groceries.

We also estimate the redemption value of points or miles from various issuer, airline and hotel rewards programs.

This weighting and rewards valuation allows us to estimate a card’s average annual rewards earnings — how many points or miles you’d earn with a given card if your spending was about average and you used the card for all of your purchases — as well as what those points are worth. We also use point valuations to determine a card’s sign-up bonus value

With these calculations complete, we assign each card a score based on how its average rewards earnings, sign-up bonus value, rewards rate and redemption value stack up against other rewards cards.

The better these values, the higher its score will be, making it more worthy of inclusion in our list and increasing its potential ranking.

Reasonable rates and fees

We also score cards based on how much it costs to keep them in your wallet or carry a balance. 

To start, each card is scored based on whether it offers an intro APR and how its ongoing APR compares to the rates available on other rewards cards. However, the latter rating only has a slight influence on the card’s score and whether the card is included in our list, since rewards card users generally try to avoid carrying a balance.

More important to both a card’s score and its inclusion in our list is how its annual fee influences its overall value. We consider a card’s annual fee in two ways — how it ranks relative to the fees you’ll find on other cards in the category and how it impacts a card’s overall rewards value. 

Cards with an annual fee will always be at a slight disadvantage in our scoring system since annual fees inherently cut into your rewards value. However, if a card offers terrific value via its ongoing rewards and perks, it can earn a high score and a spot in our list even if it carries a high annual fee. After all, the highest rewards rates and most valuable perks are often found on cards with annual fees. 

With this in mind, we rate a card based primarily on how its ongoing rewards value and ongoing perk value (such as annual credits or bonuses) stack up against those of other cards in the category when you subtract annual fees.

That said, we strive to include as many no-annual-fee options in our list as possible since many people would rather not worry about offsetting fees, even if a card carries impressive rewards and perks.

Redemption flexibility

Rewards cards may make it easy to earn a lot of points, miles or cash back, but how easy is it to use those rewards? After all, if it takes a ton of effort to redeem rewards or you can only redeem rewards in a couple of ways, a card may be more trouble than it’s worth. 

As such, we rate each card’s flexibility based on the restrictions it imposes on earning and redeeming rewards. We factor this rating into a card’s overall score and consider it when deciding on a card’s inclusion in our list. 

Flexibility factors include whether a card only allows you to earn a high rewards rate on only a small amount of spending or requires you to meet a certain earning threshold before you can redeem rewards. We also examine whether your points are worth less when you opt for some redemption options over others and whether a card gives you the flexibility to transfer rewards to travel partners.

Valuable perks

We also score each card’s set of features – its perks and benefits — against five tiers of features to provide a rating. 

We break down these tiers as follows:

• Tier 1 includes fewer features than even standard credit cards (for example, an ultra-streamlined card that offers basic utility and next to nothing in the way of ancillary benefits). 
• Tier 2 includes the benefits you’d expect on standard Visa or Mastercard credit cards, such as free access to your credit score, car rental insurance and $0 liability for fraudulent charges. 
• Tier 3 includes “prime card” or better-than-average card features like cellphone insurance, lost luggage insurance, concierge services and purchase protection. 
• Tier 4 includes luxury features such as airport lounge access, elite status with an airline or hotel and credits for expedited security screening membership programs. 
• Tier 5 includes the sort of exemplary benefits you’ll find on top-tier luxury cards, such as high-value travel credits, cardholder memberships and other unique and valuable perks.

In evaluating the best cards, we tend to favor cards that offer at least Tier 3 benefits, unless they include other unique features that could make up for less-impressive perks.

More information on travel credit cards

Frequently asked questions about travel credit cards, are travel credit cards worth it.

Travel cards can be well worth it since they often have exclusive travel perks like credits for airfare, hotel stays, expedited airport security services and more, as well as complimentary airport lounge access and airline or hotel privileges. However, many of the best travel credit cards come with annual fees. It’s important to at least offset the cost of these cards by taking advantage of the various travel perks and features included on the card. 

What credit score do you need for a travel credit card?

It’s possible to get a travel credit card with bad or fair credit, but most travel rewards cards are geared toward people with good or excellent credit (a FICO score of at least 670, or a VantageScore of at least 661).

Do travel miles or points expire?

Even though many major credit cards earn rewards that don’t expire, you may lose your points and miles if your account closes or isn’t in good standing. However, some co-branded cards’ rewards may expire if you don’t earn or redeem rewards within a certain timeframe (typically 12 to 36 months after the rewards are earned).

Check out our guide to credit card rewards expiration for a thorough breakdown of several popular issuers’ policies.

Are points or miles better on a credit card?

Whether points or miles offer better value will depend on the specific rewards program and how you redeem rewards. One airline loyalty program may earn miles that offer less than 1 cent each in average redemption value while another program’s points may offer close to 3 cents each on average. Similarly, a hotel card’s points may be worth less than half of a credit card issuer’s rewards points. Some programs offer points with only average baseline redemption value but high value when transferred to a partner airline or hotel. 

Ask the experts: Is it a good idea to have multiple travel credit cards?

Thomas Nitzsche

Stephanie Zito

Erica Sandberg

Financial Educator, Debt and Credit

Whether you should have multiple travel credit cards depends on several factors, including your brand affinity, frequency of travel and ability to pay off your cards in full each month. As a credit counselor, I see many people carrying credit card debt at high interest rates while continuing to make charges to the account for the sake of earning rewards. They lose far more than they earn each month. Having more than one travel credit card could make sense for you if you’re able to maximize your earnings by strategizing spending across each card. Just take into account annual fees and actual interest paid.

Contributor, Personal Finance

If you’re up for managing multiple cards and their benefits, then there are definitely big reward payouts to be had. But if the thought of multiple cards is overwhelming, it’s also a good strategy to have one or two more flexible cards and focus on maximizing your earnings and redemptions until it becomes second nature.

Contributor, Credit Cards

Definitely! I currently have two travel credit cards. In addition to the Chase card that I use for my United Airlines purchases, I have the Capital One Venture card for all other airlines. I earn a solid amount of miles on everything I buy with it, so it's an easy go-to for non-travel related expenses.

Article sources

We use primary sources to support our work. Bankrate’s authors, reporters and editors are subject-matter experts who thoroughly fact-check editorial content to ensure the information you’re reading is accurate, timely and relevant.

Global entry: Trusted traveler enrollment program . U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Accessed on Feb. 21, 2024

Discover International acceptance . Discover. Accessed on Feb. 21, 2024.

* See the online application for details about terms and conditions for these offers. Every reasonable effort has been made to maintain accurate information. However all credit card information is presented without warranty. After you click on the offer you desire you will be directed to the credit card issuer's web site where you can review the terms and conditions for your selected offer.

Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser. The information, including card rates and fees, is accurate as of the publish date. All products or services are presented without warranty. Check the bank’s website for the most current information.

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