Access to more than 1,400 lounges across 140 countries and counting with the American Express Global Lounge Collection, Use Membership Rewards Pay with Points for all or part of an eligible fare and get 35% of those points back, up to 1,000,000 points back per calendar year. Welcome Offer: 30,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, plus up to 30,000 more bonus points by earning 2 points per dollar in the first six months on purchases that normally earn 1 point, up to $15,000 spent. What Do Card Issuers See During Credit Checks? Not much of a preference but would love to get anything related to travel, lounge access, food and movies. Unlike cash-back credit cards, where rewards hold their value over months or even years, miles and points are very likely to devalue over time. A travel credit card is a card that earns rewards on travel. The Platinum Card is destined for frequent travelers who intend to fully leverage the rich set of luxury travel benefits and Platinum Concierge service. When evaluating airline credit cards, think about: Hotel credit cards will earn points toward future free stays, but this is one case where the benefits can often outshine rewards. When choosing a card, think about your spending patterns. The perks most valuable to you depend on your traveling preferences and how often youll take advantage of specific benefits. Inspecting your credit reports at least once a year is an excellent practice. Many credit cards are well suited for international travel. Admittedly, the cards purchase rewards are mediocre, but other benefits make this a solid choice for frequent Delta flyers. MQMs are used to determine Medallion Status and are different from the miles you earn towards flights. Rewards: Earn 5 points per dollar on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards, 3 points per dollar on dining, select streaming services, and online grocery purchases (excluding Walmart, Target and wholesale clubs), 2 points per dollar on all other travel purchases and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases. Airport lounges are generally worth the effort to get in, whether as provided by your airline ticket, credit card or elite status. The card With travel credit cards, the level of benefits will most likely be associated with the annual fee. The access to Sky Club alone helps justify the annual fee for frequent Delta flyers, then add in the annual companion certificate for eligible domestic flights (plus taxes and fees), free first checked bag when you fly Delta, priority boarding, and bonus MQM miles toward Elite status. With these cards, youll earn rewards in the hotels currency, like Marriott Bonvoy points, Hilton Honors points or World of Hyatt points, which are redeemable towards any eligible hotel property under that brands umbrella. If youd like free membership in the Admirals Club, the Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard is your ticket. Earn 2 miles per dollar on all eligible purchases and 5 miles per dollar on flights and 10 miles perRead More. Welcome Offer: 130,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 in purchases in the first 3 months of card membership. Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more. View our latest indepth guides on a variety of credit card and personal finance topics. Points and miles are effectively the same, theyre just different names for the rewards earned on a particular credit card. Some credit cards provide a limited number of Usually the higher the annual fee, the more benefits youll get. The best credit cards for Priority Pass 1. Pay rent, earn rewards and use your earnings for travel. If you're on a Galaxy Fold, consider unfolding your phone or viewing it in full screen to best optimize your experience. Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on dining, hotel stays, and United purchases, 25% back as a statement credit on purchases of food, beverages and Wi-Fi on board United-operated flights and on Club premium drinks when you pay with your Explorer Card. AU Bank Vetta Credit Card. Earn 3X points forRead More. When using Pay Yourself Back, points are worth anywhere from 1.25 to 1.5 cents a piece. Today, she edits all CardRates content for clarity, accuracy, and reader engagement. For this reason, issuers typically make it fairly easy to notify you when youre headed out of town. If you rarely fly, it may not make sense to own a card that offers the most rewards on airline purchases. 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. Eventually, this could lead you to even more card options in the future. Other Benefits and Drawbacks: The United Explorer Card offers travel protections including trip cancellation and interruption coverage, trip delay coverage, lost and damaged baggage coverage, car rental insurance coverage and up to $100 in credit toward application fees for trusted traveler programs. But Patented black-PVD-coated metal cardweighing 22 grams. Now there are even more places your Platinum Card can get you complimentary entry and exclusive perks. Not much of a preference but would love to get anything related to travel, lounge access, food and movies. Enrollment required. Top frequent flier status. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck. Earn 4 miles per $1 spent on United purchases; Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on all other travel andRead More. Editors note: At TPG, our top priority is providing our readers with the information you need to make educated decisions about travel and your https://ift.tt/3aqAQDP. Today, most lounges have reopened, although they may restrict certain features. 2 complimentary IRCTC railway $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $95. Learn more about how they work and check out the best credit cards with airport lounge access. Annual fee of $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $99. The downside is it carries the largest annual fee on our list. Primary car rental and cell phone insurance, Requires five card transactions per month to earn rewards, Rewards outside of rent spend are relatively low compared to other cards, Earn points when you make 5 transactions that post each statement period, 1x points on rent payments with no fees (on up to 50,000 points each calendar year), 2x points on travel (when booked directly with an airline, hotel, car rental or cruise company), Free first checked bag when you pay with your card & Priority Boarding, Everyday Awards flight pricing is expensive. If you dont travel often, you may prefer to purchase day passes, typically $50 to $75 per person. Earn 120,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with your Card within the first 3 months of card membership. Earn 10,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on eligible purchases in the first 90 days from your account opening and redeem for a $100 statement credit, gift cards, or travel. You can do so online or by mail. Her passion lies in showing families how to travel more while keeping their savings and sanity. In addition to hotel perks, cardholders also receive a complimentary Priority Pass Select airport lounge membership with enrollment and up to $250 in airline fee statement credits for incidental purchases at an eligible airline you select each year. She works directly with credit card issuers and advertising partners to ensure our content meets compliance expectations and regulatory standards. Rich Delta perks, including a free first checked bag and priority boarding on Delta flights, Access to Delta Sky Club airport lounges when flying Delta, Annual companion certificate good for both economy and first class, Companion Certificate only valid on domestic flights, Complimentary Sky Club access is only for one person. More than half of respondents currently have less than $500 worth of accumulated credit card rewards. We'd love to hear from you, please enter your comments. Earn 50,000 bonus points worth $750 on travel when you spend $4,500 in the first 90 days of account opening. Airline credit cards also frequently come with perks while traveling, like free checked bags, enhanced award space or lounge access. $250 airline fee credit. CardRates.com does not include the entire universe of available offers. As we shall see, the degree of access varies by card, so choose carefully. Authorized members will also have Priority Pass lounge access, even if not traveling with the primary cardholder. Earn up to 60,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) With Status Boost per year. Typically, you can get free airport lounge access if you show your same-day first-class or business-class ticket at the entry with your ID to match. You must make at least the minimum payment listed on your statement by the end of the grace period. Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck after you apply through any Authorized Enrollment Provider. Premium credit cards may offer annual credits toward the purchase of select travel, effectively serving as a rebate. Credit card issuers understand its appeal and limit the benefit to their top, usually most expensive, credit cards. Earn a Free Night Reward from Hilton Honors after spending $15,000 on purchases on the card in a calendar year. Transferable rewards include Capital One miles, Bilt Rewards, Brex Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, American Express Membership Rewards and Citi ThankYou Points. Welcome Offer: 80,000 Membership Rewards Points after spending $6,000 on purchases on the card in the first 6 months of card membership. Free first checked bag a savings of up to $140 per roundtrip. Plus, cardholders get four free visits per year to Priority Pass airport lounges (enrollment required). Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards. $500 - $650. Most travel credit cards require good to excellent credit scores. Other Benefits and Drawbacks: The annual fee may give you pause, but the card comes with up to a $300 annual travel statement credit for bookings through the Capital One Portal and a 10,000 point anniversary bonus worth $100 in travel. Many airline credit cards offer perks beyond earning miles. Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $6,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months. The Chase Sapphire Reserve makes our list of best travel rewards cards for many reasons. -Earn 80,000 Membership points when you spend $6,000 on purchases within 6 months of opening the card. WebLooking to get a new credit card. Every reasonable effort has been made to maintain accurate information; however, all credit card offer details, including information about rewards, signup bonuses, introductory offers, and other terms and conditions, is presented without warranty. Terms apply. Rewards: Earn 4 Membership Rewards points per dollar at restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., 4 Membership Rewards points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1 point per dollar), 3 Membership Rewards points per dollar on flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express travel and 1 point per dollar on other eligible purchases. Yes, this kind of card usually has a high annual fee, but the best offer value that exceeds the cost. Our pick for no annual fee: Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card Up to 1.25% Cash back 18 months of intro APR on purchases and balance transfers 1.25x miles on all purchases No annual fee Go to site By Kevin Joey Chen The best low-fee credit card for airport lounge access. The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card changed the game in the travel rewards space and is not only our best travel card, its among the best cards on the market in any category. Owning a card with complimentary lounge access isnt enough to get you in the door. Cell phone protection for eligible claims of up to $1,000 each year. The best credit card for airport lounge access overall View now Chase Sapphire Reserve Card Best all-around travel card with a lounge network View now WebICICI Bank Coral Credit Card. Around-the-clock service to help you save time and manage tasks big and small. Welcome Offer: 50,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months of account opening, Annual Fee: $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95. Many of the perks are very specifically applied and may also require enrollment. Rewards: Earn 1 point per dollar on rent payments with no fees (on up to 50,000 points each calendar year), 2 points per dollar on travel (when booked through the Bilt Travel Portal or directly with an airline, hotel, car rental or cruise company), 3 points per dollar on dining and 1 points per dollar on all other purchases. Travel facilities provided by credit card is one of the well-known offers. Information provided on Forbes Advisor is for educational purposes only. Advertisement Coins. A mid-range card might still offer auto rental insurance and a Global Entry or TSA Precheck benefit. American Express has expanded The Centurion Network to include 40+ Centurion Lounge and Studio locations worldwide. To keep this resource 100% free, we receive compensation for referrals for many of the offers listed on the site. If youre looking for the card that packs in the most Delta benefits, the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card (Terms apply. The alternatives we list widen your opportunities to find a credit card that meets your requirements. Even the most basic airport lounge offers comfortable seating and room to stretch out or work. The key distinction for this card is the elevated earnings rate for mobile wallet purchases. This is not the best time to travel, domestically or internationally, as airlines have cut major parts of their route network. A top choice for casual or moderate United fliers; the perks can easily outweigh the annual fee. Enjoy priority boarding privileges and visit the United Club with 2 one-time passes each year for your anniversary. You can fix credit report errors on your own or through a credit repair company. Advertiser Disclosure: CardRates.com is a free online resource that offers valuable content and comparison services to users. As a Visa card, its also widely accepted worldwide. Welcome Offer: Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening. -Earn 5x points on flights and prepaid hotels. Corporations and business owners may find the high annual fee of the Business Platinum Card from American Express well worth it, especially if they often fly on Delta or Lufthansa. You can save that money by getting a credit card with complimentary airport lounge access. Terms Apply. These included protections could save you money compared to separately purchased policies but wont necessarily be as comprehensive. Be careful about holding a balance on purchases as the 0% APR offer applies only to balance transfers. See rates & fees). 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). Only 12% of respondents selected that they prefer to earn miles or points used for travel on an ongoing basis. Earn 1X points on all other purchases. You can also earn Mosaic status with $50,000 annual spending. $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. A co-branded card generally makes sense if you tend to stay loyal to that brand when you travel. Best Credit Cards ; including unlimited complimentary airport lounge access. Features. Each issuers definition of which purchases or which purchase categories may vary slightly, but categories likely to be included by any issuer include airfare, hotels, rental cars and cruises. Earn 150,000 Hilton Honors bonus points after you spend $4,000 in purchases on the card within your first 3 months of card membership. However, the mediocre miles earning rates reduce the card's overall appeal. However, if a program uses an awards chart, the value of the point will vary widely depending on how you are redeeming it. A suite of travel perks makes the card an even better value, with the United Club membership alone worth more than the annual fee. Earn 60,000 bonus miles and 500 Premier qualifying points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open. Inaccuracies on your credit reports can depress your score. Rewards: Earn 3 miles per dollar on Delta purchases and 1 mile per dollar on all other eligible purchases. 1.5% value for cash back redemptions. Along with key review factors, this compensation may impact how and where products appear across CardRates.com (including, for example, the order in which they appear). Using a co-branded card can fast-track you towards elite status with a hotel or airline and often comes with other valuable benefits. Plus, 5 Base Points from Hyatt per eligible $1 spent for being a World of Hyatt member. If youre looking for a premium credit card with exceptional lounge benefits, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is your best bet. The number of miles you need for a free flight depends on different factors, including which airline miles you are using, where you are flying to and from, when you are traveling and other factors. Those rewards come in a variety of ways. Earn 5 Membership Rewards Points per dollar on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel and on flights booked directlyRead More. Pay attention to a credit cards fine print to understand any limits on free lounge access for yourself and your guests. The Platinum Card from American Express provides complimentary access for you and two guests to more than 1,400 members of the Amex Global Lounge Plus, annual free night certificates or statement credits add to their value proposition. Earn 14X Hilton Honors bonus points when you make eligible purchases on your card at participating hotels or resorts within the Hilton Portfolio. 13 credit cards that offer Priority Pass airport lounge access Other Benefits and Drawbacks: The Amex Platinum has become a luxury coupon book of sorts and the benefits can easily offset the annual fee and then someas long as you use them. Read our review of the JetBlue Plus Credit Card, 3 miles per $1 spent on United purchases. Earn 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open. IDFC FIRST Select Credit Card. The earning rates alone will have you traveling in no time. Credit cards can save you a lot of money on travel compared to paying full price. Welcome Offer: 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Notifying your credit card issuer of your travel plans before you travel can help avoid denied transactions due to suspected fraud. Several credit cards offer free entry to exclusive airport lounges. Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on all other travel, Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on dining including eligible delivery services. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. Thats a reasonable number for someone saving up for a trip without waiting so long that prices jump substantially due to program changes. Terms and conditions apply. However, generally speaking, no-annual-fee travel cards are typically easier to be approved for than the ultra-premium travel cards with high annual fees. Choose the color that suits your style. Or, you can research to see where the rewards you have can be used to get the most bang for your buck. Youll pay a hefty annual fee, but these cards prove their worth for the provided comfort and convenience whenever you travel. Alternatively, you may get complimentary lounge access if you have top status in your airlines frequent flyer program. Earn 3X Membership Rewards points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com. Plan to have a credit score of at least 700 to get approved by the top credit cards on the market. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 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, Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more, United Club membership is worth more than the annual fee, First and second checked bag free when you pay for your flight with your card. Tracking your spending allows you to make sure that every time you make a purchase, youre using the card that will earn you the most rewards. This allowed us to rank each card and determine the best travel rewards credit cards for this list.