What is the best travel credit card in 2026?

The Chase Sapphire Reserve and Amex Platinum are the top premium travel cards. The Sapphire Reserve is better for flexible travel and dining rewards; the Amex Platinum is better for lounge access and airline credits. If you don't want to pay $795 or $895 a year, the Chase Sapphire Preferred punches well above its weight at $95.

Are travel credit card annual fees worth it?

Only if you use the credits. Premium fees rose sharply over 2025 and 2026; as of August 2026 the Chase Sapphire Reserve is $795 and the Amex Platinum $895. The Reserve's $300 travel credit posts automatically, and The Edit hotel credits can add $500 more, which more than covers the fee. But most of these credits only work at specific merchants, so they're worth nothing if those aren't places you'd spend anyway. Travel a few times a year or less and a $95 card like the Sapphire Preferred is the better math.

What are transferable points and why do they matter?

Transferable points (Chase Ultimate Rewards, Amex Membership Rewards, Capital One Miles) can move to multiple airline and hotel programs. This flexibility lets you find the best redemption for any given trip - often getting 2–5 cents per point in value versus 1 cent with cashback.

How do I earn free flights with a travel credit card?

Sign up for a card with a large welcome bonus (typically worth $500–$1,500 in travel), meet the minimum spend requirement, and transfer the points to an airline partner. Business class flights to Europe frequently cost 60,000–75,000 points each way - achievable with a single sign-up bonus.

Best Travel Credit Cards for 2026

3X-4X on dining and travel•Sign-up bonuses worth $900+•No foreign transaction fees

Why travel cards are worth it

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Earn on what you already spend

Travel cards earn 3-4X on dining - your grocery runs and restaurant tabs are working for flights you’d be paying for anyway.

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Sign-up bonuses cover real trips

Welcome bonuses currently run from 75,000 points on the Sapphire Preferred to 150,000 on the Reserve - worth roughly $900 to $3,000 in travel. One sign-up can cover a transatlantic flight or a week in a good hotel. Watch the spend requirement, though: Amex raised the Platinum’s to $12,000 in six months, and a bonus you have to manufacture spending to hit isn’t a bonus.

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No fees abroad

Standard cards charge 3% on every foreign transaction. Travel cards waive this - on a $5,000 trip, that’s $150 back in your pocket automatically.

The cards worth carrying (and why)

My Pick

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Chase

$795annual fee

150,000 points entry incentive

Estimated value: $1,500+ in travel value

Requires $6,000 spend within 3 months

Earns: 3X points on global travel and dining

What you get:

$300 annual travel credit (applied automatically)
Up to $500/yr credit for The Edit by Chase Travel
Up to $300/yr dining credit at Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables
Keeps 1:1 World of Hyatt transfers (Preferred drops to 4:3)
Priority Pass Select membership
Comprehensive trip delay and cancellation insurance

Best for: You travel often and eat out a lot

Apply for Chase Sapphire Reserve® →

Chase Sapphire Preferred®

Chase

$95annual fee

75,000 points entry incentive

Estimated value: $900+ in travel credit

Requires $5,000 spend within 3 months

Earns: 3X on dining, streaming, online groceries, gas and EV charging

What you get:

$100 annual Chase Travel hotel credit
$120 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit every four years
25% redemption bonus via Chase Travel
Hyatt transfers now 4:3, not 1:1 (see note below)
Solid travel and purchase protection

Best for: You want the transfer partners without the premium fee

Apply for Chase Sapphire Preferred® →

The Platinum Card® from American Express

American Express

$895annual fee

Up to 175,000 points entry incentive

Estimated value: Offer varies by applicant

Requires $12,000 spend within 6 months

Earns: 5X points on flights and prepaid hotels via Amex Travel

What you get:

$200 annual airline fee credit
$200 annual Uber Cash
$400 annual Resy credit (quarterly $100 increments)
$300 annual digital entertainment credit
Global Lounge Collection access (Centurion, Priority Pass, Delta)
Global Entry / TSA PreCheck credit

Best for: You fly enough to live in the lounges

Apply for The Platinum Card® from American Express →

American Express® Gold Card

American Express

$325annual fee

Up to 100,000 points entry incentive

Estimated value: Offer varies by applicant

Requires $8,000 spend within 6 months

Earns: 4X on dining (to $50k/yr) and US supermarkets (to $25k/yr)

What you get:

$120 annual dining credit (monthly increments)
$100 annual Resy credit (biannual $50 increments)
$120 annual Uber Cash (monthly increments)
Access to Membership Rewards transfer partners
Purchase protection and extended warranty

Best for: Your budget is mostly groceries and restaurants

Apply for American Express® Gold Card →

Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express

American Express

$350annual fee

Variable entry incentive

Estimated value: Airline-specific mileage

Requires $3,000 spend within 6 months

Earns: 3X miles on Delta and hotel purchases

What you get:

$2,500 annual MQD credit for status maintenance
Annual domestic main cabin companion certificate
First checked bag fee waiver
Priority boarding privileges

Best for: You fly Delta and want status faster

Apply for Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express →

Bilt Palladium Card

Cardless

$495annual fee

50,000 points entry incentive

Estimated value: $1,100 housing/travel credit

Requires $4,000 spend within 90 days

Earns: 2X points on all spend + 4% Bilt Cash

What you get:

Integrated housing rewards multiplier
$400 annual hotel credit (split into two half-year windows)
$200 annual cash grant for Palladium holders
1:1 transfers to Hyatt and United

Best for: You want one card to put everything on

Apply for Bilt Palladium Card →

Which card to start with

You travel a few times a year

Start with the Chase Sapphire Reserve®. The $795 fee stings, but the $300 travel credit posts automatically and The Edit hotel credits add up to $500 more - enough to cover it if you travel enough to use them. It’s also the only Sapphire card still transferring to Hyatt at 1:1.

You want travel perks without the heavy fee

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® gets you into the same transfer partner ecosystem at $95/year instead of $795. One catch since 2026: Hyatt transfers from the Preferred are 4:3, not 1:1 - 100,000 points become 75,000 Hyatt points. United and the rest are unchanged. If Hyatt is your main redemption, the Reserve is the only Sapphire card that still does 1:1.

You spend a lot on food and groceries

The American Express® Gold Card earns 4X on dining and US supermarkets - the best points rate in those categories. Watch the caps: supermarkets are 4X on the first $25,000 a year and restaurants on the first $50,000, then both drop to 1X. The monthly Uber Cash, dining, and Resy credits effectively make the $325 fee a wash if you actually use them.

Common questions

What’s the catch with annual fees?

Annual fees are real, and they went up hard over 2025 and 2026 - as of August 2026 the Reserve is $795 and the Amex Platinum $895. The credits can still outrun them. The Reserve’s $300 travel credit stacks with up to $500 for The Edit, and the Gold’s dining, Resy, and Uber credits roughly cancel out its $325 fee. But every one of those requires spending at a specific merchant on a specific schedule. Skip them and you’re just paying the sticker price.

How do I redeem points for maximum value?

Best strategy: Transfer points to airline partners for international business class flights (can get 2-3 cents per point value) or use Chase Travel portal for 1.25-1.5x value. Don’t redeem for cash back or gift cards (worst value).

Can I get multiple cards?

Yes. Pairing the Chase Sapphire Reserve with the Amex Gold is a common combination - it covers dining earnings (4X with Gold) and travel benefits (Reserve’s lounge access and travel credit) at once. Just track both annual fees so the combined cost stays worth it.

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Best Travel Credit Cards for 2026