gs bank travel card

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Travel charge card

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• Per Diem Lookup

What is the travel charge card? The GSA SmartPay® 3 program provides charge cards to U.S. government agencies, as well as tribal governments, through master contracts that are negotiated with major banks. 

There are currently more than 560 Federal agencies, organizations and Native American tribal governments participating in the program, spending $30 Billion annually, through 100 million transactions on more than three million cards.

There are three types of travel accounts:

• Individually billed accounts are issued to employees to pay for official travel and travel-related expenses. The government reimburses employees for authorized expenses. The employee is responsible for making payment to the bank.
• Centrally billed accounts are established by some agencies to pay for official travel expenses. Centrally billed accounts are paid directly by the government to the bank.
• GSA SmartPay Tax Advantage Travel accounts  are new product offerings that combine an Individually Billed Account (IBA) and Centrally Billed Account (CBA), providing a means to obtain tax exemption automatically at the point of sale for rental cars and lodging charges. The combined features of CBAs and IBAs are a key characteristic of this product. When using the Tax Advantage Travel Account, charges for rental cars and lodging will be automatically billed to a CBA for payment. Charges for other travel-related purchases, such as meals and incidentals, are billed to the IBA portion of the account.

What is the benefit for federal agencies? Each agency or organization using the travel charge card receives a rebate based on sales volume. The sale refund is remitted to the organization. In addition, a separate refund is provided to agencies and organizations based on improving speed of payment.

How can travel managers make it happen? In 1988, Congress mandated that federal employees use the government travel charge card for all payments of expenses related to official government travel, with some exceptions. 

Travel managers should ensure that all of their travelers use their government-issued travel charge card for all purchases of travel-related services or products such as rental cars, hotel rooms, and telephone or Internet service.

Looking for more information on SmartPay?

The GSA SmartPay program provides charge cards to U.S. government agencies/departments, as well as tribal governments, through master contracts that are negotiated with major national banks. Additionally, to contact Travel Program call 888-472-5585 or email [email protected]

• Download the complete Federal Travel Regulation
• Joint Travel Regulations
• Foreign Affairs Manual

PER DIEM LOOK-UP

1 choose a location.

Error, The Per Diem API is not responding. Please try again later.

No results could be found for the location you've entered.

Rates for Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. Territories and Possessions are set by the Department of Defense .

Rates for foreign countries are set by the State Department .

2 Choose a date

Rates are available between 10/1/2021 and 09/30/2024.

The End Date of your trip can not occur before the Start Date.

Traveler reimbursement is based on the location of the work activities and not the accommodations, unless lodging is not available at the work activity, then the agency may authorize the rate where lodging is obtained.

Unless otherwise specified, the per diem locality is defined as "all locations within, or entirely surrounded by, the corporate limits of the key city, including independent entities located within those boundaries."

Per diem localities with county definitions shall include "all locations within, or entirely surrounded by, the corporate limits of the key city as well as the boundaries of the listed counties, including independent entities located within the boundaries of the key city and the listed counties (unless otherwise listed separately)."

When a military installation or Government - related facility(whether or not specifically named) is located partially within more than one city or county boundary, the applicable per diem rate for the entire installation or facility is the higher of the rates which apply to the cities and / or counties, even though part(s) of such activities may be located outside the defined per diem locality.

Department of Defense Travel Card Benefits

Progress informed from the past, and inspired by the future, cardholder guide.

Official travel for the Department of Defense just became easier with the Citi Department of Defense Travel Card. When you are preparing to use your new card, please read What To Do When I First Receive My New Card . For more information regarding your new card, please read the Department of Defense Cardholder Guide .

Department of Defense Travel Insurance

As a cardholder, you will receive global travel accident and lost luggage insurance so you feel safe and secure wherever you travel with a Citi ® Commercial Card.

• Travel Accident Insurance Guide
• Lost Luggage Insurance Guide

MasterCard Guide to Benefits

Visa Guide to Benefits

In addition to the card benefits provided by Citi, Visa provides card benefits such as Car Rental Insurance and Travel and Emergency Assistance. For full details, please read the Visa Guide to Benefits .

Travel Tips

For more information on your Citi Department of Defense Travel Card, please read What to do Before, During and After travel .

Online Tools

Citi's global online tool, CitiManager ® , enables you to manage business expenses from anywhere around the globe from your computer or mobile device; you can view statements online, confirm account balances, sign up for email and SMS alerts, and much more. If you have not already signed up for the CitiManager ® tool, please log on to www.citimanager.com/login and click on the 'Self registration for Cardholders' link. From there, follow the prompts to establish your account.

For more information on the CitiManager ® tool, view our CitiManager ® Cardholder Quick Reference Guide .

An official website of the United States government

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Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock ( Lock A locked padlock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

First-time travel guide: Step 1b

Get a travel card

Get Concur access completed

Get GSA travel card current

Update Concur profile not completed

Book travel not completed

Step 1b Get GSA travel card

Next to Complete Concur profile >

A GSA travel card will help you pay for lodging, taxis, and other miscellaneous expenses while on your trip.

While new employees may travel without one, it is required that everyone at TTS have one as soon as possible.

TTS-only, Instructions for applying for a GSA Travel Card

Visit the GSA SmartPay 3 travel card page for more information .

Next Step: Complete Your Concur Profile

• , external, [email protected]

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Travel / Travel Money Card

Travel Money Card

Lock in exchange rates and load up to 13 currencies on one account to easily access your money while you’re travelling.

Features & benefits

$0 card issue fee.

Order a Travel Money Card for free in branch or online (search 'Travel Money Card' in the CommBank app or log into NetBank ).

Lock in exchange rates 

Load up to 13 currencies on one card before your trip, so you know how much you have to spend, no matter how the Australian Dollar moves.

Spend anywhere in the world 

Shop online, in-store, or over the phone wherever Visa is accepted, plus get access to Visa ® travel offers .

Easily manage your travel budget

Manage your holiday money and track your spending via the CommBank app or NetBank.

Your purchases, covered

Lost or stolen personal belongings? We may be able to cover the cost to repair or replace them up to 90 days after purchase. 2

Extra card security

Lost, misplaced or stolen card? Lock it and report it in the CommBank app or NetBank. 

• Currency converter

Exchange rates

Load up to 13 currencies on one account

Lock in exchange rates and load up to 13 currencies easily on one account – wherever you are in the world – through NetBank or the CommBank app:  

• United States Dollars (USD)
• Euros (EUR)
• Great British pounds (GBP)
• Australian Dollars (AUD)
• Japanese Yen (JPY)
• New Zealand Dollars (NZD)
• Hong Kong Dollars (HKD)
• Canadian Dollars (CAD)
• Singapore Dollars (SGD)
• Thai Baht (THB)
• Vietnamese Dong (VND)
• Chinese Renminbi (CNY)
• Emirati Dirham (AED)

No load or reload fees

You can load up to 13 currencies on your Travel Money Card with no load or reload fees. The exchange rate is the CommBank Retail Foreign Exchange Rate at the time of the conversion.

When you’re ready to pay for something, we will always try to complete the transaction for the country you are in. Make sure you have enough of the correct currency for the country you’re in on your card to avoid additional fees. If you don’t have enough of the local currency, we’ll use the next available currency instead, so long as there’s enough of it loaded on your card.

If you load multiple currencies on your Travel Money Card, you can  change the order  (the next available currency) anytime online. 

Rates & fees

See all fees and charges

Who can apply

To get your Travel Money Card, you’ll need to:

• Be at least 14 years old;
• Be registered to use NetBank, or register online New to CommBank? Sign up to NetBank at your nearest branch ;
• Provide a valid email address; and
• Have an Australian residential address

How to apply

Before your trip.

• Order a Travel Money Card in the CommBank app (search 'Travel Money Card'),  NetBank , or at your  nearest branch . 
• Load at least AUD 50 or the foreign currency equivalent to get started
• Once you’ve got your card,  activate and set your PIN online  in NetBank, or under Cards in the CommBank app
• Lock-in the exchange rate by  loading currency on your card in NetBank  or the CommBank app

How it works

During your trip.

• The  local currency will be automatically applied  when you pay for something, as long as it’s loaded on your card and you have sufficient funds
• Reload in real time , fee-free if your balance gets low
• Stick to daily transaction limits
• The maximum value of purchases per day is unlimited, however no more than your available balance
• The maximum amount you can withdraw from ATMs per day is AUD 2,500 or the foreign currency equivalent. Keep in mind most ATM operators have a limit on how much you can withdraw from an ATM per transaction
• The maximum amount for over-the-counter withdrawals per day is AUD 2,500 or the foreign currency equivalent.

When you’re home

• Got leftover currency? Exchange it for another currency or back into your CommBank account from  NetBank  or the CommBank app
• Top up  your Travel Money Card (it’s valid for 4 years) in preparation for your next trip
• Donate  your foreign (and local) currency to any CommBank or Bankwest branch and every cent will go to UNICEF
• How to manage your Travel Money Card

You’ve got your new card – here’s how to get the most out of it.

Find detailed info on getting started, loading and reloading currencies, setting a currency order, checking your balance and tracking your spend. Plus, info on Purchase Security Insurance Cover and access to Visa ® travel offers .

Manage your Travel Money Card

Need foreign cash? Have it ready before you travel

If you’re a CommBank customer, you can buy or sell up to 9 foreign currencies at selected CommBank branches in exchange for Australian Dollars.

You can also order foreign cash in over 30 currencies online – even if you’re not a CommBank customer.

Discover Foreign Cash

Planning an overseas trip?

Discover travel tips to help make the most of your European summer holiday.

See travel tips

Emergency support & tools

What to do if you’ve lost your card or it’s stolen.

If you’ve lost your Travel Money Card, or you think it might’ve been stolen, we can have an emergency replacement card sent to you anywhere in the world.

You may also be eligible for an Emergency Cash Advance, giving you access to cash within 24-48 hours (often on the same day).

Call us in an emergency on:

• 1300 660 700  within Australia
• +61 2 9999 3283 from overseas (reverse charges accepted). 

When calling from overseas using your mobile, standard roaming charges may apply. To avoid roaming charges, call the international operator in the country you’re in from a landline and give them our reverse charges number +61 2 9999 3283.

Tools & calculators

• Saving calculator
• Budget planner
• Managing multiple currencies on your Travel Money Card
• Travelling overseas: 10-step money checklist  
• Beginners guide to exchange rates
• Online banking while overseas  
• Planning an overseas holiday

We can help

Your questions answered

Get in touch

Visit your nearest branch

Things you should know

1 The cash withdrawal fee will not apply to cash withdrawals made in Australia.

2  For more information relating to the complimentary Purchase Security Insurance refer to  Travel Money Card Complimentary Insurance Information Booklet (PDF) .

As this advice has been prepared without considering your objectives, financial situation or needs, you should before acting on this advice, consider its appropriateness to your circumstances.  The Product Disclosure Statement and Conditions of Use (PDF)  issued by Commonwealth Bank of Australia ABN 48 123 123 124 for Travel Money Card should be considered before making any decision about this product.  View our Financial Services Guide (PDF) .

To raise a dispute related to your Travel Money Card please complete  this form for transactions (PDF)  or  this form for ATM disputes (PDF) .

Any withdrawal or balance enquiry fee will come from the currency for which you are using your card. If this currency is not loaded on your card, the fee will be taken from the first (or sole) currency loaded on your card. Any SMS balance alert fee will come from the first (or sole) currency loaded on your card.

The target market for this product will be found within the product’s Target Market Determination,  available here .

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Credit Cards

I’m an expat, and here’s why I love my Bank of America Travel Rewards card

Kelly Dilworth

Allie Johnson

“Verified by an expert” means that this article has been thoroughly reviewed and evaluated for accuracy.

Robin Saks Frankel

Published 5:24 a.m. UTC May 8, 2024

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VioletaStoimenova, Getty Images

I’m a U.S. citizen who lives most of the year in Canada. But when I pick up coffee or purchase subway fare in my adopted city of Toronto, I often find myself habitually turning to the same few American credit cards I’ve owned and used for years.

Using my American cards while living across the border helps me maintain my U.S. credit history. Plus, I’ve found that they offer more value than comparably-priced Canadian cards. 

I’m especially likely to pull out my Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card because it offers ample points without requiring me to think too hard about different rewards categories. 

Instead, I earn the same unlimited 1.5 points per $1 on purchases, which is a rewards rate I’ve so far been unable to match with a no-annual-fee Canadian card. 

Aren’t sure how to choose a credit card? Read our guide on how to pick the best credit card for you.

In Canada, rewards cards without annual fees are typically less generous –– especially when it comes to miscellaneous spending. For example, my CIBC Dividend® Visa* Card * The information for the CIBC Dividend® Visa* Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. offers 2% cash back on groceries, 1% cash back on eligible gas, electric vehicle charging, transportation, dining and recurring payments, 0.5% cash on everything else. 

There are no foreign transaction fees on my Bank of America Travel Rewards card either. So I don’t have to sweat over 1% to 3% in foreign transaction fees that can quickly add up over multiple transactions. 

However, the number one reason I turn so regularly to my Bank of America Travel Rewards card is its convenience. 

After nearly 20 years of credit card experience, I’ve learned that I get more value out of low-maintenance cards that require minimal time and attention. 

our partner

Blueprint receives compensation from our partners for featured offers, which impacts how and where the placement is displayed.

Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Welcome bonus

• 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.

Regular APR

Credit score.

Credit Score ranges are based on FICO® credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed.

Editor’s take

• 15 billing cycles of intro APR financing on both new purchases and on qualifying balance transfers.
• Earn an unlimited 1.5 points per $1 on purchases.
• No foreign transaction fees so it’s a good choice to use abroad.
• Points must be redeemed towards eligible travel and dining purchases for maximum redemption value.
• You can’t transfer rewards to airline or hotel partners.

Card details

• 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.
• 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.

Even abroad, Bank of America Travel Rewards are simple to earn, fast to redeem 

In my experience, the Bank of America Travel Rewards Visa is especially easy to use in Canada compared with other American cards I own since it comes equipped with contactless technology (which was popular here long before it took off in the U.S.), and Visa is widely accepted. 

I rarely use my Discover it® Miles , by contrast, because I’ve struggled to find vendors in Canada who will accept it.

Since I earn the same rewards rate with every purchase on my Bank of America Travel Rewards card, I don’t have to track spending bonuses or worry about the types of foreign purchases that will qualify for a higher rate. 

Even better, the rewards I earn from my Bank of America Travel Rewards card are so easy to redeem I can do it within minutes online simply by checking some boxes next to eligible travel and dining purchases. Within days, a statement credit then posts to my account. 

I also can book rewards travel from whatever site I want to, and I don’t have to plan around blackout dates or other travel restrictions. 

For a working mom like me who can barely carve out time to book travel, let alone spend hours searching for a suitable rewards flight, that extra layer of simplicity is important. 

I also have ADHD, so navigating a complicated rewards scheme that requires lots of extra steps or tracking can sometimes feel overwhelming. Simpler rewards programs are easier for me to stick to long term and are overall a better fit for my neurodivergent brain. Plus, I’m more likely to use my rewards if they’re easy to redeem. 

On the downside, the redemption options for the Bank of America Travel Rewards card are limited: to earn a 1:1 return on your rewards spending, you need to redeem your points for travel or dining. 

You can trade in your points for a gift card, but your points will be worth less than a cent each. The redemption rate for cash is even stingier.

Luckily, there are plenty of purchases that count as travel and dining, including public transit and parking fees, bridge and highway tolls, tourist attractions such as aquariums and zoos, fast food, coffee shops, bars and taverns. 

Bank of America also gives you up to a year to redeem your points before a qualifying purchase is no longer eligible. So you have some time to build up your rewards. 

How I use American credit while living in another country

In my case, I’ve managed to seamlessly transition to living much of the year in Canada without giving up my American credit history because I still have a valid U.S. address and phone number and maintain a presence in both countries. 

I also happened to own most of my credit cards well before I moved to Canada in 2018. However, I have successfully applied for new cards in the years since and had them sent to my American address. 

Expats who don’t maintain a valid U.S. address may need to work with a bank or credit union that specializes in serving U.S. citizens who live or travel extensively abroad. But for me, it’s been relatively easy, and my Bank of America Travel Rewards card fits my needs perfectly.

*The information for the CIBC Dividend® Visa* Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Blueprint is an independent publisher and comparison service, not an investment advisor. The information provided is for educational purposes only and we encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding specific financial decisions. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Blueprint has an advertiser disclosure policy . The opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Blueprint editorial staff alone. Blueprint adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. The information is accurate as of the publish date, but always check the provider’s website for the most current information.

Kelly Dilworth is a business and personal finance writer, specializing in the intersection between money and life. She has more than a decade of financial writing and reporting experience and has covered consumer banking and lending, credit cards, credit reporting and consumer scoring for a variety of personal finance outlets, including Bankrate and CreditCards.com, The Balance, LendingTree and Forbes Advisor. Her reporting has also been cited in Congressional testimony and in a number of reports, books and journal articles.

Allie is a journalist with a passion for money tips and advice. She's been writing about personal finance since the Great Recession for online publications such as Bankrate, CreditCards.com, MyWalletJoy and ValuePenguin. She's also written personal finance content for Discover, First Horizon Bank, The Hartford, Travelers and Synovus.

Robin Saks Frankel is a credit cards lead editor at USA TODAY Blueprint. Previously, she was a credit cards and personal finance deputy editor for Forbes Advisor. She has also covered credit cards and related content for other national web publications including NerdWallet, Bankrate and HerMoney. She's been featured as a personal finance expert in outlets including CNBC, Business Insider, CBS Marketplace, NASDAQ's Trade Talks and has appeared on or contributed to The New York Times, Fox News, CBS Radio, ABC Radio, NPR, International Business Times and NBC, ABC and CBS TV affiliates nationwide. She holds an M.S. in Business and Economics Journalism from Boston University. Follow her on Twitter at @robinsaks.

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14 Best Travel Credit Cards of May 2024

Best travel cards main takeaways.

• Money has evaluated hundreds of credit cards, comparing their fees, benefits, welcome offers, travel insurance policies and more.
• The top credit cards for travel offer high rewards on travel purchases, which can be redeemed for airfare, hotel nights, cash back, statement credits or more.
• Our picks feature the best travel cards for every budget and include no-annual-fee, low-annual-fee, premium and business cards.

Why Trust Us?

Our editorial team has spent well over a thousand hours analyzing, evaluating and comparing the top credit card offers in the market. We carefully vet each card’s fine print in order to understand their features, limitations and potential benefits for consumers. We review cards independently, ensuring our content is accurate and guided by editorial integrity. Read our full methodology to learn more.

• 46 travel credit cards evaluated
• 10+ data points used, including ongoing fees, reward programs and welcome offers
• 100+ sources reviewed

Money.com has partnered with CardRatings.com for our coverage of credit card products. Money and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. This site does not include all card companies or all available card offers. O ur top picks are listed strictly in alphabetical order.

Our Top Picks for Best Travel Credit Cards

Best no-annual-fee travel credit cards.

• Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card – Best no-annual-fee travel card for flat rate rewards
• Bilt Mastercard® – Best no-annual-fee travel card for paying rent
• Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card – Best no-annual-fee card for travel partners
• Chase Freedom Unlimited® – Best no-annual-fee travel card for domestic travel
• Discover it® Miles – Best no-annual-fee travel card for simple rewards
• Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card – Best no-annual-fee travel card for everyday spending

Best low-fee-annual-fee travel credit cards

• Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card – Best travel card for flat-rate rewards
• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card – Best travel card for flexible rewards

Best premium travel credit cards

• American Express® Gold Card – Best travel card for dining
• Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card – Best low-cost premium travel card
• Chase Sapphire Reserve® – Best premium travel credit card
• The Platinum Card® from American Express – Best travel card for lounge access

Best business travel credit cards

• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express – Best business travel card

Best airline travel credit cards

• United℠ Explorer Card: Best airline credit card

Best Travel Credit Cards Reviews

Our top picks are listed in alphabetical order.

Best No-Annual-Fee Travel Credit Cards

• No annual fee
• No foreign transaction fees
• Earns 1.5x points on all purchases
• No bonus category for travel
• Few benefits compared to other cards
• Limited redemption options

Why we chose it: The Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card is an easy-to-use card best suited for travel reward beginners or those who are already Bank of America customers.

Some cardholders can earn up to 75% more points if they are Bank of America Preferred Rewards members — that’s up to 2.62 points for every dollar spent.

However, the card doesn’t offer hotel and airline point transfer partners, travel insurance or extended warranty and purchase protection. Additionally, you can only redeem your points as statement credit to cover travel and dining purchases.

All information about Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card has been collected independently by Money.com

• No annual or foreign currency conversion fee (Click herehttps://www.wellsfargo.com/credit-cards/bilt/terms/">here; for rates and fees)
• Use it to pay your rent and earn rewards without incurring any processing fees
• You can earn double points on all purchase categories (except rent payments) on the first of every month (up to 10,000 points)
• Earn 2x points on travel (when booked directly through an airline, hotels, car rental agencies and cruise lines)
• No welcome bonus or introductory APR period
• Points redeemed for statement credits are worth 0.55 cents each
• You must make at least five transactions in a statement period to earn points
• Rent payments can only be made to one rental property per month

Why we chose it: The Bilt Mastercard® lets you earn travel rewards on rent payments without incurring any processing fees — unlike most credit cards that typically charge around 2.5% to 2.9% per rent payment.

You can use the card to pay rent without worrying about surcharges. Once you get approved for the card, all you have to do is set up an account through the Bilt app or website and use your assigned routing and account number to pay rent through your usual payment portal. You can also use your card even if your landlord only accepts checks, and Bilt will send a check on your behalf.

Additionally, Bilt doubles the card’s rewards rates on the first of every month, which means you can earn 6x points on dining, 4x points on travel and 2x points on other purchases (up to 10,000 points per month). However, this bonus doesn’t apply to rent rewards.

On the downside, the Bilt Mastercard® doesn’t offer a welcome bonus, and points redeemed for statement credits are only worth 0.55 cents each.

• Can transfer your miles to 16 travel partners
• Earns 5x miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• Doesn't earn bonus points on airfare
• No domestic travel partners

Why we chose it: The Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card is a great option if you’re looking for a no-annual fee travel credit card with a simple rewards structure.

You can use your miles to book travel through the Capital One Travel portal or as a statement credit to cover travel purchases made from airlines, hotels, rail lines, car rental agencies and more.

You can also transfer your points to one of Capital One’s 16 travel partners, which include international airlines such as Avianca and British Airways. This option is notable since travel credit cards with no annual fee don’t typically offer the option to transfer your reward to airline and hotel partners.

However, the card’s list of bonus categories is limited compared to some other no-annual-fee credit cards, and Capital One doesn’t offer bonus points on airfare booked through Capital One Travel.

• Includes trip cancellation/interruption and car rental insurance
• Features a high flat cash back rate combined and popular bonus categories
• 3% foreign transaction fee

Why we chose it: The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is the best credit card for traveling domestically. It offers a 1.5% flat cash back rate on most purchases plus it has several appealing bonus categories, including travel and dining.

This card charges a 3% foreign transaction fee, that is, on any transactions made in currency other than US dollars. However, if you mostly travel within the U.S., this card is an excellent option.

For one, you’ll earn an additional 1.5% on each of the card’s bonus categories during the first year of card membership (or up to the first $20,000 spent).

Also, although using this card abroad is not recommended, you can still use it to book international trips while you’re home, and you’ll earn 5% cash back if you book it through Chase Travel℠.

You can redeem your rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and even transfer them to other cards that earn Chase Ultimate Rewards® points. It’s also worth noting that this card is one of the few no-annual-fee credit cards with rental car coverage and trip cancellation and interruption insurance.

• No annual or foreign transaction fees
• Discover matches the total miles you earned at the end of the first year
• Earns 1.5x miles on all purchases
• See your FICO score on the Discover mobile app, online and on statements
• Few benefits compared to other travel cards
• Doesn't include extended warranty or purchase protection

Why we chose it: The Discover it® Miles Credit Card is a no-frills card ideal for travelers who don’t want to keep track of bonus categories, earning caps or redemption values.

The card earns a flat 1.5x miles on all eligible purchases without any annual caps. You can redeem your miles for statement credits and account deposits at a rate of 1 cent per mile. You can also use your rewards through Amazon and PayPal checkout with the same value.

Also, the card’s welcome bonus is easily one of the best in the market: Discover matches every mile you’ve earned at the end of your first membership year — without any spending requirements.

However, while the Discover it® Miles Credit Card is a great starter travel card, its lack of bonus categories could hinder your reward-earning potential in the long run. Additionally, Discover cards aren’t as widely accepted internationally as Visa Signature and World Mastercard, for example.

All information about the Discover it® Miles Credit Card has been collected independently by Money.com.

• Earn 3x points on restaurants, travel, gas stations, select streaming services and cell phone plans
• Includes cell phone protection plan
• No airline or hotel transfer partners
• Doesn't include travel insurance
• Netflix and HBO are not eligible for streaming bonus

Why we chose it: The Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card is the best travel reward card for everyday spending, offering high rewards on several popular spending categories, including travel, dining, gas, streaming services and cell phone plans.

Its travel bonus category is particularly noteworthy because you can earn points regardless of where you make your reservations, whether it’s directly with an airline or through a third-party travel site like Booking.com. (Most travel credit cards limit travel rewards to bookings made exclusively through the card issuer’s travel portal.)

The card also includes rental car insurance and a cell phone protection plan when you use it to pay your monthly bill.

All information about the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card has been collected independently by Money.com.

Best Low-Annual-Fee Travel Credit Cards

• Earn 2x miles per dollar on most purchases
• Up to $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck(R)
• Includes travel accident and car rental insurance
• Fewer bonus categories than other cards with a similar annual fee ($95)
• Doesn't offer travel rewards for flights
• Car rental insurance is secondary

Why we chose it: The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is the best credit card for travel miles if you want to earn a high reward rate and not worry about bonus categories.

The Capital One Venture Rewards is ideal for those who want to get the most out of their spending without worrying about tracking bonus categories and spending caps.

You can redeem your miles on the Capital One travel portal and as statement credits to cover travel purchases at a value of one cent per mile. Additionally, you may transfer your miles to more than 15 airline and hotel partners.

However, keep in mind that Capital One doesn’t have domestic travel partners, which can be a drawback if you mainly travel within the U.S.

• Points are worth 25% more when redeemed for travel purchases through Chase TravelSM
• Receive a point bonus each account anniversary
• Includes primary rental car insurance
• Earn 3x per $1 on dining, including eligible delivery and takeout meals, select streaming services and grocery purchases
• $95 annual fee
• Doesn't offer a Global Entry/TSA PreCheck(R) application fee credit

Why we chose this card: The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is the best travel credit card for frequent travelers who want to earn valuable rewards while paying a low annual fee.

The card features six reward categories that offer outstanding rewards on flights, hotels, restaurants and more. You can redeem your points for statement credits, account deposits, gift cards and more. But you can get the most bang for your buck by redeeming them for travel purchases through the Chase Travel℠ portal, which increases your point’s usual one-cent value by 25%.

You can redeem your points for statement credits, account deposits, gift cards and more. But you can get the most bang for your buck by redeeming them for travel purchases through Chase Travel℠, which increases your point’s usual one-cent value by 25%.

You can also transfer your points to one of Chase’s 14 travel partners at a 1:1 ratio (one Chase point equals one hotel point or airline mile). These include popular airlines and hotels like JetBlue, Southwest, United, Marriott and Hyatt.

Best Premium Travel Credit Cards

• Earns 4x points on restaurants worldwide, takeout and food delivery within the U.S.
• Up to $120 in annual dining credits, issued as a $10 statement credit per month for select restaurants (enrollment required)
• Up to $120 as Uber Cash annually ($10 per month) for food delivery orders and rides in the U.S. after you add the American Express(R) Gold Card to your Uber account
• Earn 4x points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year, then 1x)
• High annual fee ($250)
• Includes few travel perks and insurance policies compared to similarly priced cards

Terms apply. Please click here for applicable rates and fees.

Why we chose it: The American Express® Gold Card is ideal for foodies, offering a high reward rate at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets, takeout and food delivery. (Terms apply.)

The American Express® Gold Card also offers statement credits worth up to $240 combined — almost enough to offset the card’s $250 annual fee. These include:

• Up to $120 every year in dining credits ($10 per month) for select restaurants and food delivery services. The list includes Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and Shake Shack (Enrollment required)
• Automatically get $10 monthly in Uber Cash to use on Uber Eats or Uber rides in the U.S. (after you add the American Express® Gold Card to your account)
• $100 credit for dining, spa services and other activities when you book a two-night minimum stay at a hotel from The Hotel Collection through American Express Travel
• Terms apply

However, note that the American Express® Gold Card offers fewer travel perks than some other premium cards — for instance, it doesn’t offer trip cancellation and interruption insurance or TSA PreCheck® or CLEAR® Plus fee credits.

• 10,000 bonus miles every year
• Statement credit of up to $300 for bookings made through Capital One Travel
• Up to a $100 credit on Global Entry or TSA PreCheck(R)
• Skip the line and get car upgrades when renting a car with Hertz
• High annual fee ($395)
• Fewer bonus categories than other premium cards
• No domestic airline transfer partners

Why we chose it: The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is the best credit card for travel miles if you want to earn a high reward rate and not worry about bonus categories.

The Capital One Venture X also includes noteworthy perks such as:

• 10,000 bonus miles every year (starting on your first anniversary)
• $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel
• Up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
• Access for you and two guests to 1,300+ lounges worldwide with Priority Pass™ Select and Plaza Premium Group
• Authorized users at no extra cost (many cards have an annual fee of $75 or more for each additional user)

All in all, the Venture X is a solid option that can easily compete with other premium travel cards, especially considering its more affordable annual fee.

• Up to $300 in statement credits each anniversary year to cover travel purchases
• Transfer your points to 14 travel partners (including United, Southwest, JetBlue and Marriott)
• Points worth 50% more when redeemed for travel expenses through Chase TravelSM
• Comprehensive travel insurance coverage, including emergency dental insurance
• High annual fee ($550)
• Doesn't include a cell phone protection plan

Why we chose it: The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is the best credit card for travelers looking for a high reward rate on travel and additional benefits like comprehensive travel insurance and airport lounge access worldwide.

Your points are worth 50% more when you redeem them for travel through the Chase Travel℠ portal. This means each point is worth 1.5 cents per point instead of one cent, like most travel cards. Also, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® provides several high-end benefits such as:

• $300 annual travel credit to cover travel-related purchases like airfare, hotels, car rentals, rideshares, buses, trains, tolls and/or parking
• Access for you and two guests to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide (after a one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select)
• Statement credit of up to $100 every four years for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck® or Nexus

The Sapphire Reserve does have a $550 annual fee. But if you take advantage of the $300 annual credit and other perks, the benefits can definitely outweigh its cost.

• Access to the widest network of airport lounges of any card
• Complimentary elite status in the Marriott and Hilton hotel loyalty programs
• Hundreds of dollars in annual statement credits for travel, dining and more
• High annual fee ($695)
• Doesn't include baggage delay, travel accident and primary rental car insurance
• Limited bonus categories

Terms apply. Click here for rates and fees.

Why we chose this card: The Platinum Card® from American Express offers a list of premium benefits that no other travel card offers, including the widest network of airport lounges and room upgrades at Hilton and Marriott hotels. (Terms apply.)

The Platinum Card® from American Express features an impressive list of high-end travel benefits, including:

• Complimentary access to over 1,400 airport lounges, including Priority Pass, Delta SkyClub and Amex’s own Centurion lounges (enrollment required)
• Gold status in the Marriott and Hilton loyalty programs, which makes you eligible for room upgrades, free breakfast and late checkouts (enrollment required)
• $200 back each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings made through American Express Travel and paid with your Platinum Card® (Hotel Collection bookings require a minimum two-night stay)
• Up to $200 per year when incidental fees, such as checked bags, are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card® (with one selected qualifying airline)
• Complimentary premium status in Avis Preferred®, Hertz Gold Plus Rewards®, and/or National Car Rental® Emerald Club (must enroll through your Amex online account using your card)

The Platinum Card® from American Express does have a hefty $695 annual fee. However, for people who travel often and will take advantage of its annual credits and travel perks, it might almost pay for itself.

Best Business Travel Credit Cards

• 5X points on flights and prepaid hotels booked through AmexTravel.com
• Around $1,000 in yearly statement credits for select business purchases
• Access to a wide network of airport lounges (terms apply)
• Around $600 in perks in Fine Hotels + Resorts(R) locations booked through American Express Travel (for stays of two nights)
• Secondary rental car coverage**

Why we chose it: The Business Platinum Card® from American Express features an extensive list of benefits that make it an ideal travel and business credit card.

With this card, you can access over 1,400 airport lounges worldwide, comprehensive travel insurance and extra amenities at hundreds of hotels, like daily breakfast and free internet access. Additionally, you get a $200 credit to cover baggage fees, in-flight refreshments and more and up to $100 for Global Entry or $85 for TSA PreCheck® every four or 4.5 years respectively. (Terms apply.) (Enrollment required.)

The card also offers several yearly statement credits for business-related purchases that include up to $400 per year ($200 between January and June and $200 between July and December) for U.S. purchases with Dell.

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express does have one of the steepest annual fees ($695) among travel credit cards, but its extensive list of benefits makes it a no-brainer for business owners who travel frequently.

Best Airline Travel Credit Cards

• Free first checked bag for you and a companion
• Up to $100 as a statement credit for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck(R) or NEXUS every 4 year
• 25% back as a statement credit on food, beverages and Wi-Fi on board United-operated flights
• Complimentary priority boarding for you and companions traveling on the same reservation
• $95 annual fee (after the first year)
• No intro APR period
• Rewards are only valuable when used with United

Why we chose it: The card_name has a low annual fee and gives you valuable benefits that make up for it, such as priority boarding for everyone on the reservation and a free checked bag for you and one companion.

Other perks the card includes are:

• Two one-time passes for United Club℠ airport lounges each account anniversary year
• 25% back as a statement credit on in-flight purchases like food, beverages and Wi-Fi
• Up to $100 every four years to cover the cost of TSA PreCheck®, Global Entry or NEXUS
• Comprehensive travel insurance (auto rental collision damage waiver, baggage delay insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, trip cancellation/interruption insurance and trip delay reimbursement)

The United℠ Explorer Card earns miles on United purchases, including tickets, inflight food, beverages, Wi-Fi and more. You also earn rewards at restaurants and select hotel stays.

You can use your miles to book flights on United Airlines or its partners, including Avianca, Lufthansa and Air Canada. You can also redeem them for seat upgrades, inflight Wi-Fi passes and more — although United miles are usually more valuable when used for airfare.

Travel Credit Cards Guide

The best credit cards for travel do more than offer high reward rates on flights and hotel stays. They also provide rewards for everyday spending and perks such as travel insurance , airport lounge access and annual statement credits.

Here’s a rundown of how these cards work:

What is a travel credit card?

Travel credit cards offer benefits and rewards geared towards individuals who travel frequently or want to earn travel benefits.

They provide high rewards for travel-related expenses such as flights, hotels, rental cars and dining. You can then use these rewards (in the form of points or miles) to book travel reservations. Some cards also let you transfer your rewards to hotel and airline partners or redeem them for statement credits, cash back, gift cards and more.

On top of the rewards, these cards often feature several travel-related perks, such as no foreign transaction fees, hotel discounts, travel insurance, free checked bags and airport lounge access.

How do travel credit cards work?

Travel credit cards give you a certain number of points or miles per dollar on eligible purchases. They often offer around 5x points or more for airfare, hotel rooms, rental cars and more. Some cards may also count parking, bus fares, taxis, tolls and ferries as travel purchases.

Besides travel, you’ll typically get bonus points in additional spending categories. For example, some cards may offer 3x points per dollar on dining, groceries, drugstores or streaming services. All other eligible purchases usually get at least one point (1x) per dollar.

You can then redeem your points for flights, hotels, car rentals, cruises and more. Card issuers also usually let you redeem your points for non-travel options like statement credits, cash back or gift cards.

How to use credit card points for travel

Travel credit cards have rewards programs through which you can earn points (or miles). Well-known point programs include Chase Ultimate Rewards®, American Express Membership Rewards® and Citi ThankYou® Rewards.

To redeem your points, go to your travel card’s rewards program portal. The process may differ across credit card issuers, but you’ll usually be able to access it through your online account on the issuer’s website or app.

Points are usually worth one cent each. However, some issuers increase their value if you redeem them for travel. For example, Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card points are worth 1.25 cents when used to book flights through the Chase Travel℠ portal.

Points may also be worth less than a cent, depending on how you redeem them. For example, some cards allow you to use your points at Amazon checkout. While this might sound convenient, this option may bring down the value of points to around 0.8 cents.

Some cards also allow you to transfer your rewards to select airline and hotel partners. Typically, you can transfer rewards to these loyalty programs on a 1:1 ratio, meaning that 1,000 credit card points are worth 1,000 loyalty program points.

Difference between points and miles

You’ll earn points or miles depending on which travel credit card you have. For example, Chase travel credit cards earn points, while Capital One travel cards earn miles. Miles and points typically have similar value (around one cent each) and redemption options.

However, keep in mind that several cards that earn miles are tied to a specific airline — like the United℠ Explorer Card. In this case, you can only use your rewards for purchases with the issuing airline such as flights, seat upgrades, inflight dining and more.

Pros and cons of travel credit cards

• Some cards offer up to 10x points per dollar on travel purchases.
• Many have additional bonus categories for dining, grocery shopping and more.
• They may include travel benefits like priority boarding, airport lounge access and late hotel checkouts.
• Points or miles can also be redeemed for cash back, statement credits, gift cards and more.
• Highest reward rates are usually limited to purchases made through the card issuer's travel portal.
• They might not offer high rewards on spending outside of the travel category.
• Some of the best ones can have steep annual fees and require good to excellent credit
• Redeeming points or miles for anything other than travel can reduce their value to less than one cent per dollar.

Types of travel credit cards

Here’s a rundown of the differences between the three main types of travel credit cards:

Airline credit cards

Airline credit cards are ideal for people who regularly fly with the same airline. These cards earn miles you can redeem for flights, seat upgrades, inflight dining, airport lounge access and other travel-related purchases but typically only with the issuing airline.

Some of the best airline travel credit cards include benefits like free checked bags, priority boarding and discounts on in-flight purchases.

Hotel credit cards

With hotel credit cards, you can only redeem your points for stays, discounts and other benefits with one particular hotel chain.

For example, the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card earns points for Hilton’s loyalty program, which you can redeem for free nights in the company’s properties, including Hilton Garden Inn and Waldorf Astoria hotels.

Hotel credit cards may also offer complimentary breakfast, room upgrades, late checkouts and bonus points for purchases made during your stay.

General travel credit card

General travel credit cards are more flexible than airline or hotel cards. They aren’t affiliated with a single airline or hotel chain, so their points can be used to book flights, hotel stays, rental cars and more from different companies.

These cards may also offer useful perks for frequent travelers, like airport lounge access. They can also cover the cost of a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® membership, which allows you to skip the long lines at airport security or customs.

How to choose a travel credit card

Picking the best travel rewards credit card boils down to how often you travel, which cardmember perks you’d benefit the most from and the categories you spend the most on.

Here are some factors to keep in mind when choosing the best card for you:

• Do you travel often? A travel rewards credit card offers high reward rates on travel spending, and you’ll get the most bang for your buck when you use their points on flights, hotels and car rentals. If you don’t take trips often but want to pile up rewards, a cash-back credit card might be a better fit.
• Assess your everyday spending. Many travel cards have additional bonus categories other than travel, like dining, supermarkets, streaming services and drugstores. Consider your day-to-day spending habits and pick a card with bonus categories that fit your lifestyle.
• Consider the card’s annual fees. No-annual-fee travel cards usually have few travel benefits. The best travel credit cards charge annual fees of at least $90 and can go as high as $700. However, these are often best for those that travel enough to take advantage of their benefits.
• General travel card vs co-branded cards. General travel cards have more flexible redemption options. On the other hand, co-branded cards are often tied to a specific airline or hotel, which can limit your options. Still, they do provide valuable perks like free checked bags, in-flight discounts and hotel upgrades.
• Compare extra travel perks. Some cards offer extras like annual statement credits for flights and hotels or upgrades when renting cars. Take the time to compare each card’s roster of add-ons and pick one that will best suit your travel plans.
• Compare insurance policies. The best credit card travel benefits include insurance policies that cover travel accidents, rental cars, trip cancellations and more. These policies can vary widely based on the issuer and the card’s annual-fee tier.
• Beware foreign transaction fees. Most travel credit cards don’t charge foreign transaction fees. Some cash-back cards may offer outstanding rewards for travel purchases but charge around 3% fees on purchases outside the U.S.
• Look beyond welcome offers. A 60,000-point welcome bonus can be enticing. However, it shouldn’t be your deciding factor, especially if you’ll end up paying a high annual fee without getting your money’s worth.

How get the most out of your travel credit card

To get the most out of your travel credit card, you need to use it as often and strategically as possible. This way, you can earn points or miles with each purchase, which you can then redeem for free or discounted flights, hotels and more.

Use your travel card to pay most of your purchases and bills and then pay your card off in full each month. This will help you earn points while avoiding interest charges and high credit card debt , which can impact your credit score.

Here are some other tips to maximize your rewards and benefits:

• Consider adding an authorized user to your account. They’ll earn points with every purchase they make, and those will get added to your overall total. However, make sure to pick someone who will use the card responsibly since you’ll be legally liable if they ever fail to pay their monthly bills.
• Redeem your rewards for travel through the card issuer’s website. This redemption option usually offers the highest value compared to gift cards or merchandise, for example.
• If your card offers travel protections (like travel accident or luggage insurance), use it to pay for your passenger fares. This way, you could be reimbursed in the event of an accident or lost luggage, for example.
• Use your airline or hotel card to sign up for the company’s frequent flyer or frequent guest loyalty program. You’ll often earn extra points or miles when you’re a member and use your co-branded card to pay for flights, hotel stays and more.
• If you can transfer points from other credit cards to your travel card, take advantage of this feature. This way, you can accumulate extra points for travel booking and sometimes even increase their value.

Best Travel Credit Cards FAQs

What is the best travel credit card, what is the best credit card for international travel, how to travel for free with credit cards, what is the best credit card for travel miles, what is a welcome bonus on a credit card, how we chose the best travel credit cards.

We ranked the best credit cards for travel based on their annual fees, benefits, reward rates and redemption flexibility.

Fees: We compared interest rates and foreign, cash advance and balance transfer fees for more than 50 credit cards. We also considered their annual fee, looking for those that offered the most for the money.

Ongoing benefits: Intro APR and bonus offers are attractive, but they can only get you so far. We focused on cards with year-round benefits such as travel insurance or cell phone protection plans.

Reward rates: We preferred cards that allow you to earn extra points from travel expenses, as well as those that provide significant bonus rewards in popular spending categories, like dining, supermarkets or streaming services.

Redemption flexibility: Our picks don’t limit your redemption options to just travel. Some let you use your points for Amazon purchases, for example. We also preferred issuers that allowed cardholders to transfer their points to airline and hotel partners.

Summary of Money’s Best Travel Credit Cards of May 2024

• Discover it® Miles Credit Card – Best no-annual-fee travel card for simple rewards

Money.com has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Money.com and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers.

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.

To see rates and fees for the American Express® Gold Card, visit this link . Terms apply.

To see rates and fees for The Platinum Card® from American Express, visit this link . Terms apply.

To see rates and fees for The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, visit this link . Terms apply.

* Insurance disclosures for American Express Cards on this page:

Trip Delay Insurance: Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance: Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

Baggage Insurance Plan: 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.

Global Assist Hotline: Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Card Members are responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers.

Extended Warranty, Purchase Protection, 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.

Car Rental Loss & Damage Insurance: 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. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.

** Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance can provide coverage up to $75,000 for theft of or damage to most rental vehicles when you use your eligible Card to reserve and pay for the entire eligible vehicle rental and decline the collision damage waiver or similar option offered by the Commercial Car Rental Company. This product provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. Geographic restrictions apply. 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. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.

*** Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance can provide coverage up to $50,000 for theft of or damage to most rental vehicles when you use your eligible Card to reserve and pay for the entire eligible vehicle rental and decline the collision damage waiver or similar option offered by the Commercial Car Rental Company. This product provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. Geographic restrictions apply. 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. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.

© Copyright 2024 Money Group, LLC . All Rights Reserved.

This article originally appeared on Money.com and may contain affiliate links for which Money receives compensation. Opinions expressed in this article are the author's alone, not those of a third-party entity, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed. Offers may be subject to change without notice. For more information, read Money’s full disclaimer .

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Consumers might be paying more than credit card perks are worth, officials say

Credit card holders could be paying more in fees and interest than their travel rewards and other perks are worth, Biden administration officials are arguing, raising scrutiny on loyalty programs that shape millions of people’s spending.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Department of Transportation held a joint hearing in Washington on Thursday that brought together representatives from airlines, financial institutions, unions and consumer advocacy groups to discuss whether new regulations are needed.

Regulators are looking into the promises made around sign-up bonuses, changes to point values, obstacles in redeeming points and loss of rewards when cards are closed. They’re especially focused on travel rewards, like those offered by airline-branded credit cards that let users rack up frequent flyer miles. Forty-one percent of Americans have travel rewards credit cards, according to a NerdWallet survey last year.

“We’re going to look into how we can make sure companies are being straightforward about what people will get from these frequent flyer miles or loyalty programs when they sign up, and whether people are actually getting the deal that they were promised,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said at Thursday’s hearing.

The heightened scrutiny on credit card rewards is part of the White House’s broader crackdown on “junk fees” and other pricing practices , particularly in industries like financial services and airlines , that the administration sees as unfairly squeezing consumers and contributing to inflation.

In March, the CFPB lowered the late fees that credit card companies charge, drawing swift industry pushback . Two weeks ago, the Transportation Department said it would require airlines to quickly give cash refunds to passengers whose flights are canceled or seriously delayed.

The CFPB, with purview over financial institutions, has cracked down on banks for credit card sign-up bonuses before. Last July, it ordered Bank of America to pay more than $100 million for practices including withholding or denying bonus points to tens of thousands of consumers.

Federal regulators are now looking more closely at airline credit cards too. With annual fees as high as $650 and average interest rates of 25.3%, according to LendingTree , they can be much costlier than the average credit card, which in many cases have no annual fees and charge comparatively lower rates, averaging 24.7%.

CFPB Director Rohit Chopra told NBC News prior to the hearing that federal authorities could consider regulations, or even law enforcement actions, if they determine companies are breaking their promises to consumers.

“We see that for many of these airline rewards programs, credit card companies are charging huge interest rates, sometimes 30% or more. And many consumers actually lose out on these deals. They may be paying way more than the value of the rewards that they accrue,” Chopra said.

Even if consumers are able to pay their bills on time and avoid interest payments, consumers have complained about restrictions on using the points they’ve accrued.

Buttigieg told NBC News ahead of Thursday’s hearing that he had concerns about “abrupt changes” in the value of points, given the airlines’ control over how many points a flight from, say, New York to Honolulu might cost.

Airlines for America, a coalition representing the nation’s largest airlines, said Thursday that there is “fierce competition” within the industry for credit card loyalty, adding that “consumers have the power of choice when picking a carrier for air travel or a credit card for spending, with a wide range of options, to pick what best fits their needs.”

The Electronic Payments Coalition, representing credit unions, community banks and payment card networks, points to CFPB data showing the value of rewards points has risen from an average 1.4 cents per dollar spent in 2019 to 1.6 cents in 2022. In a statement Thursday, the group described regulators’ scrutiny of credit card rewards as “politically motivated.”

Loyalty programs, which sell points back to consumers at prices they set, have been a big source of revenue for major airlines.

Delta Air Lines said it brought in $6.5 billion in revenue linked to its loyalty programs just last year, and American Airlines said 80% of its revenue this year will come from loyalty program members. When United Airlines pledged its entire loyalty program for a loan in 2020, it valued the asset at $21.9 billion.

Lauren Randall, who lives in Norwalk, Connecticut, told NBC News she recently applied for a travel credit card that offered 40,000 miles at sign-up, only to receive a promotion in the mail just hours later for the very same card offering 60,000 points. She said she called to see if she could receive the better promo but was denied, calling it a “bait and switch.”

“It feels like every year, either the seats get smaller, or the prices go up, or there’s some sort of excuse,” Randall said. “It would be great to hold these companies more accountable for the experience and what they promise.”

Brian Cheung is a business and data correspondent for NBC News.

Jessica Stanton is an NBC News producer.

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Find the best credit card for you

Here are the best corporate credit cards of 2024, these cards offer rewards and additional features designed to help corporations manage the financials..

Corporate credit cards are similar to business credit cards but have a few key differences. Small business cards are typically designed for smaller businesses or sole proprietorships and usually require a personal guarantee and personal credit check . However, corporate cards typically don't require a personal guarantee and instead often have other requirements such as revenue minimums or are only available to U.S. registered business entities (LLCs, corporations, etc.).

Corporate cards are designed to help business managers seamlessly manage spending for a large number of employees and some offer rewards as well. Below, CNBC Select details the best corporate cards with a range of benefits. (See our methodology for information on how we chose the best corporate credit cards).

Best corporate credit cards

• Best for travel spending: Brex Card
• Best for cash back: Ramp Visa® Corporate Card
• Best for travel perks: The American Express Corporate Platinum Card ®
• Best for mid-sized corporations: U.S. Bank Commercial Rewards Card

Best for travel spending

Earn rewards and cash back on everything you spend, like 7x on rideshare, 2x on recurring software, and access exclusive events and over $400K in software discounts.

Welcome bonus

10,000 points when you spend $3,000 on your Brex card within three months of your Brex business account being opened.

• No annual fee

Brex does not charge interest

Regular APR

Balance transfer fee, foreign transaction fee.

No foreign transaction fees, free ACH and wires worldwide, global acceptance on the Mastercard network

Credit needed

No personal guarantee or credit check. Only companies organized and registered in the United States may apply for a Brex account. See Platform Agreement for business criteria.

• No foreign transaction fee
• You'll have to pay off the balance daily or monthly

* Offer available to new Brex Card customers only.

Brex Mastercard® issued by Emigrant Bank, Member FDIC. Brex Cash provided by Brex Treasury LLC, member FINRA and SIPC. Brex Treasury is not a bank; Brex Cash is not a bank account. Testimonials may not represent experiences of all clients. Terms apply, visit brex.com. Information about the Brex Card has been collected independently by Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of the card prior to publication.

Who's this for? Brex is a fintech company that offers financial services to corporations, including the Brex Card , which offers an exceptional return for many different bonus spending categories.

Standout benefits : The Brex Card is available to Brex business account members (a cash management account). Eligible businesses can earn generous rewards in useful bonus categories like rideshare , Brex travel, restaurants, eligible Apple purchases through the Brex rewards portal, recurring software and additional categories depending on your primary industry. The Brex Card is a charge card that must be paid off monthly or daily. If you opt for daily payments, your company may earn additional rewards in certain categories.

[ Jump to more details ]

Best for cash back

Ramp visa corporate card.

Earn an unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases

Receive $250 after you apply and are approved with no minimum spending requirement.

No personal guarantee or credit check.

• Strong cash-back rate
• Need at least $75,000 in a U.S. business bank account to qualify

Who's this for? The Ramp Visa® Corporate Card is worth considering if your company wants to earn straightforward, yet valuable cash-back rewards.

Standout benefits : The Ramp Visa Corporate Card can boost your company's bottom line with an uncapped 1.5% cash back on all purchases. This card has no annual fee and a long list of partner deals which can save you even more money. Ramp members enjoy discounts with UPS, OpenAI, Stripe, Amazon Web Services, QuickBooks , Indeed and more. You can even transfer Ramp rewards to various airline and hotel loyalty programs.

Best for travel perks

The american express corporate platinum card®.

Earn 1X Membership Rewards® points on all purchases; 5% Uber Cash on Uber rides and U.S. Uber Eats orders

Good/Excellent

Terms apply.

• Amazing airport lounge access benefits
• Annual statement credit when you have a personal Amex Platinum Card
• Hotel and rental car perks
• Low reward earning rate
• Corporate Membership Rewards program doesn't allow point transfers

Information about the The American Express Corporate Platinum Card® has been collected independently by Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of the card prior to publication.

Who's this for? The American Express Corporate Platinum Card ® offers some of the same valuable benefits as other versions of The Platinum Card® from American Express but with some key differences.

Standout benefits : Corporate employees on the go will appreciate this card's travel benefits, and the crown jewel of what this card offers is its airport lounge access . Cardholders can access over 1,400 airport lounges through the American Express Global Lounge Collection, including Amex Centurion lounges , Delta Sky Clubs , Priority Pass lounges (enrollment required), Plaza Premium lounges, Escape lounges and Lufthansa lounges.

Best for mid-sized corporations

U.s. bank commercial rewards card.

Companies can choose rebates or rewards as follows: Qualify for 1% cash back after spending $150,000 per quarter or earn 5X points on car rentals, 4X points on lodging, 3X points on airlines and 1X points on all other purchases

Revenue requirements

$10 to $150 million annually

• Flexibility in what type of rewards you earn
• No annual fees or interest
• Quarterly spending requirement to qualify for rebates

Who's this for? The U.S. Bank Commercial Rewards Card provides mid-sized corporations flexibility in how they earn rewards.

Standout benefits: With a U.S. Bank Commercial Rewards Card account, companies can choose what type of rewards they earn. If your company opts for earning a rebate, it will earn a 1% cash rebate after hitting $150,000 in quarterly spending. With the rewards option, the company earns 5X points on car rentals, 4X points on lodging, 3X points on airlines and 1X points on all other purchases.

More on our best corporate credit cards

The Brex Card has extremely generous spending categories, which are even more valuable than they appear because you can transfer Brex points to partner travel programs.

Brex Exclusive rewards (monthly payments):

• 7X points on rideshare
• 4X points on Brex travel rewards
• 3X points at restaurants
• 3X points on eligible Apple purchases through the Brex rewards portal
• 2X points on recurring software
• 1X points on all other purchases

By opting for daily payments (instead of monthly) you can earn an additional 1X points in select categories. Life sciences companies don't earn bonus rewards on software, rideshare or restaurant purchases. Instead, they earn additional points on lab supplies and life sciences conference tickets.

Brex also has a custom rewards program that's available to companies with 50 or more Brex users who also will meet minimum spending requirements. You'll have to speak with Brex to see if your company qualifies.

Learn more about all reward multipliers and options  here .

Earn 30,000 points after spending $3,500, or 50,000 points after spending $9,000 in the first 30 days.

$0 (paid plans available)

Notable perks

The Brex Card is a  World Elite Mastercard® and includes Mastercard ID Theft Protection ( activation required ), MasterRental Insurance (rental car damage and theft coverage) and Mastercard Luxury Hotel Program (free daily breakfast for two guests, room upgrades when available, etc.).

The card also unlocks discounts for a long list of software services and business products such as TurboTax , Microsoft 365, QuickBooks® and Salesforce Essentials. Brex account holders also receive 5% back on Microsoft advertising purchases on up to $10,000 in annual spending per card.

You can use Brex rewards for a long list of redemptions including, gift cards, travel, cryptocurrency, cash back and more. One of the best ways to use Brex points is to transfer points to one of its partner airline loyalty programs, including:

• Air France/KLM (Flying Blue)
• Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
• Emirates Skywards
• Avianca LifeMiles
• Aeromexico Club Premier
• Qantas Frequent Flyer
• Cathay Pacific Asia Miles

You are allowed to transfer points to any cardholder associated with the Brex account.

[ Return to card summary ]

Ramp Visa® Corporate Card

Ramp is a financial technology company that issues the Ramp Visa® Corporate Card and provides expense management and other services to U.S.-based corporations.

• 1.5% cash back on all purchases

Earn a $250 bonus after account approval.

$0 (paid subscriptions available)

Ramp is a fintech company that offers businesses a variety of tools to manage and automate their finances, including bill payments, expense reimbursement and corporate cards. To qualify for Ramp your company will need at least $75,000 in a U.S. business bank account , be a business registered in the U.S. and the majority of your operations and spending should be in the U.S.

The Ramp card's Visa Signature Business benefits include:

• Rental car collision insurance (primary coverage)
• Purchase security
• Extended warranty protection
• Travel and emergency assistance services

Ramp users have access to a massive amount of deals and discounts on business-related products, services and software. Some of these deals include (at the time of writing):

• QuickBooks discounts
• Up to $5,000 in Amazon Web Services credits
• Up to $2,500 in OpenAI credits
• UPS discounts
• 50% off Amazon Business Prime
• And many more

In addition to straight cash back or gift cards, you can transfer Ramp rewards to airline and hotel partners at a 1.5:1 ratio, including:

• AeroMexico Rewards
• Air France/KLM Flying Blue
• British Airways Executive Club
• Etihad Guest
• Marriott Bonvoy
• Qatar Airways Privilege Club
• TAP Air Portugal Miles&Go
• Wyndham Rewards

While Ramp's transfer ratio isn't great, having the option to convert your cash back to hotel and airline points can help you increase the value of your rewards. For example, you can often book one-way Star Alliance business-class awards from the U.S. to Europe through Avianca for 63,000 miles (94,500 Ramp points).

The American Express Corporate Platinum Card ® provides cardholders with a robust list of travel perks such as lounge access and elite-status benefits.

• 1X points on all purchases
• 5% Uber Cash on Uber rides and Uber Eats orders (enrollment required)

$550 (see rates and fees)

Employees with a personal Amex card , in addition to an Amex corporate card, can qualify for a Personal Card Annual Credit . To be eligible for the credit you must have the same type of personal and corporate card (i.e. Gold, Platinum, etc.). Cardholders with both a personal and corporate Platinum card receive an annual statement credit of $150.

Other perks include:

• Up to $189 in CLEAR Plus credit
• Up to $200 in airline fee credit per calendar year (airline selection required)
• Cell phone protection
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit
• Hilton Honors Gold status (enrollment required)
• Marriott Bonvoy Gold status (enrollment required)
• Roadside assistance
• Trip delay insurance
• Trip cancellation and interruption insurance
• Baggage insurance
• Global Assist Hotline
• The American Express Global Lounge Collection (enrollment required)
• Fine Hotels and Resorts program
• Rental car status perks

Corporate Amex Platinum cards can be linked to either an individual or a corporate rewards program, each card can be enrolled in one program at a time. With the corporate rewards program, designated account administrators can manage and redeem rewards. American Express' corporate rewards program allows redemptions for gift cards , statement credits, travel and merchandise. As an employee, you may be able to link your corporate card to an existing individual Membership Rewards account and redeem the rewards as you like. However, not all Amex corporate cards are eligible for enrollment in an individual rewards account , so you'll need to contact your program administrator to find out your options.

The U.S. Bank Commercial Rewards Card is available to corporations with an annual revenue between $10 million and $150 million.

A company can choose how it earns rewards:

• 1% rebate after spending at least $150,000 in quarterly spending
• 5X points on car rentals
• 4X points on lodging
• 3X points on airlines

With a U.S. Bank Commercial Card account, your company will have access to more than just the ability to earn rewards. This card also has several tools and features designed to simplify expense management and corporate travel. It offers integration with popular accounting software, including QuickBooks online, NetSuite, Xero and more. When employees book through the travel platform it automatically tracks the receipts. You can also set card limits or merchant category restrictions to align with company policies.

How do corporate cards differ from small business cards?

The key differences between corporate and small business cards are how you qualify and what type of business the card is designed for. Small business cards usually require a personal guarantee and personal credit check, whereas corporate cards do not. Corporate cards typically require the business to have a specific legal structure, minimum revenue or cash holdings or a certain minimum number of employees.

Is it hard to get a corporate credit card?

Corporate credit cards aren't necessarily hard to get, but your business typically needs to be larger than a small business with just a couple of employees. To qualify for a corporate card, you could need 15+ employees, a minimum of six figures in annual expenses or a large sum of money in the bank.

Does a corporate credit card hurt your credit score?

If your employer issues you a corporate credit card it won't have an impact on your personal credit score. Corporate card activity isn't tied to your personal credit report.

Bottom line

Corporate credit cards are designed for larger businesses and often offer additional services beyond just credit card rewards. If your company is at the point where managing small business credit cards is becoming tedious, the features offered by the best corporate credit cards may be able to save you time and money.

Why trust CNBC Select?

At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every credit card   article is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of credit card   products .  While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics. See  our methodology  for more information on how we choose the best corporate credit cards.

Money matters — so make the most of it. Get expert tips, strategies, news and everything else you need to maximize your money, right to your inbox.  Sign up here .

Our methodology

To determine which credit cards are best for corporations, CNBC Select analyzed corporate cards based on a range of features. We compared rewards (e.g., cash back, points and miles), annual fees, welcome bonuses, introductory and standard APR and balance transfer fees and foreign transaction fees. We also considered additional perks, protections and other features available to corporations. 

We also considered CNBC Select audience data when available, such as general demographics and engagement with our content and tools.  

Catch up on CNBC Select's in-depth coverage of  credit cards ,  banking  and  money , and follow us on  TikTok ,  Facebook ,  Instagram  and  Twitter  to stay up to date.

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