Many popular travel credit cards include airport lounges It comes with flashy perks such as access to and annual travel credits. The downside to these fancy perks is that they usually come with a hefty annual fee. So there's the constant stress of making sure you're using enough perks to justify the charges.
Luckily, there are plenty of travel credit cards with no annual fees. I have. The perks may not be as powerful as those found on premium cards, but you can get travel-related perks without paying an annual fee for privileges. The best no annual fee travel credit card for you depends on your spending style, how you redeem rewards, and the travel rewards you want to get. This guide covers the best no annual fee travel credit cards and everything you should consider before choosing one.
Contents
- 1 Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card: Great for Beginners
- 2 Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card: Best for Delta Airlines
- 3 American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp Card: Best for American Airlines
- 4 Hilton Honors American Express Card: Great for Frequent Hilton Stays
- 5 Bank of America Travel Rewards Credit Cards: Perfect for Bank of America Customers
- 6 Chase Freedom Unlimited: Perfect for pairing with premium travel cards
- 7 Discover it Miles: Great for flexible redemptions
- 8 No annual fee Compare the best travel credit cards
- 9 Benefits of a No Annual Fee Travel Credit Card
- 10 How to choose a no annual fee travel credit card
- 11 Conclusion
Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card: Great for Beginners
Why I Chose:The Capital One VentureOne Rewards credit card is the perfect way to easily earn travel rewards. Earn 1.25x miles on all purchases and 5x miles on hotels and car rentals booked with Capital One Travel. Also get a welcome bonus of 20,000 miles when you spend $500 within the first 3 months. Miles can be redeemed for travel, cashback, gift cards, and more, but you'll get the best value when you redeem them for travel and money transfers to travel partners (a rare feature for no annual fee travel cards).
Pros:
- Generous reward rates on select travel purchases
- Bonus with low minimum spend requirements Earn offers
- No international transaction fees
- Rewards can be sent to Capital One travel partners
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Cons:
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Applies to:Consider this card if you want flexibility when it comes to redeeming rewards. While many travel cards require you to book through the site, VentureOne lets you book third-party airlines, hotels, or travel services and later redeem your miles for statement credit to cover your expenses .
Who should skip:Capital One's travel partners are good, but not great. If you're looking for a credit card issuer with a great list of airline and hotel transfer partners, you might be better off with a Chase or American Express credit card, but you'll have to pay an annual fee Note that sometimes
Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card: Best for Delta Airlines
Why I chose it:With the Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card, you can earn double miles at restaurants worldwide, double miles on Delta purchases and double miles on everything else. Welcome offers are also easy to obtain. The first time he spends $1,000 within six months of his card membership, he will earn 10,000 miles.
Pros:
- Earn Bonus Miles on Inflight Meals and Delta Purchases
- Eligible Inflight 20% Off Your Purchase
- No Foreign Transaction Fees
Cons:
- For Frequent Flyers Minimal perks (no free checked baggage or priority boarding)
- Welcome offer may not be enough for one one-way flight
<Audience:If you want to earn miles with the Delta SkyMiles program but can't achieve it, consider the Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card.
Who should skip:Frequent Delta travelers get free checked bags, priority boarding, better welcome offers, and earn miles with every spend Use your Delta Card.
American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp Card: Best for American Airlines
Why I chose it:With American Airlines' AAdvantage MileUp℠ card*, you get access to major freaks like free checked baggage and priority boarding. You won't get ent flyer benefits, but you'll have the chance to earn miles with your credit card. Double miles on groceries, American Airlines purchases and double miles on everything else. Plus, save 25% on eligible in-flight purchases, including food and beverages.
Pros:
- Double Earn Miles on Grocery and American Airlines Purchases
- 25% off eligible inflight purchases
Cons:
- Frequent flyer benefits are minimal (no free checked baggage or priority boarding)
- We charge a 3% foreign transaction fee
Who Should Apply: I want to fly American Airlines, but my flights are infrequent If you don't want to pay an annual fee, consider American Airlines' AAdvantage MileUp card.
Who should skip:If you fly frequently with American Airlines or one of its Oneworld partners, you may prefer a co-branded credit card that offers frequent flyer benefits such as free checked baggage and priority boarding. For example, consider the Citi®/AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®*. This waives the $99 annual fee for the first 12 months. Also, if you want to avoid foreign transaction fees when traveling abroad, consider another card.
Hilton Honors American Express Card: Great for Frequent Hilton Stays
Why I chose this card:Frequent travelers to Hilton hotels will find the Hilton Honors American Express Card a solid option with no annual fee. This card offers a welcome bonus of 80,000 points after spending 1,000 in the first three months. You can also earn high reward percentages in various categories. 7x points on eligible Hilton purchases. 5x points at US supermarkets, US gas stations and US restaurants.
Pros:
- Complimentary Hilton Silver status included
- Earn generous points Reward rate on Hilton stays
- No foreign transaction fees
Cons:
- Elite hotel benefits are minimal (e.g. , no room upgrades or free breakfast)
- Hilton points are worth an average of 0.6 cents each, so discount the high reward rate
- No foreign transaction fees
- Flexible redemption options
Who is eligible for:Anyone who regularly stays at Hilton properties and isn't interested in premium benefits can get significant value from this card.
Who should skip:Hilton Travelers Interested in Better Perks like Annual Resort Credits and Free Weekend Nights Consider other Hilton Credit Cards, including options that include higher elite status, Annual Travel Credits, and other premium perks need to do it.
Bank of America Travel Rewards Credit Cards: Perfect for Bank of America Customers
Why I chose this card:Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit cards earn travel rewards with every purchase , but even better if you already bank with Bank of America. The card earns him 1.5x points for every dollar spent, but he can increase rewards from 25% to 75% if he qualifies for membership in Bank of America's Preferred Rewards program. increase.
Pros:<
Cons:
- No major travel benefits
Who:This is the card for those who want to earn a flat amount of flexible travel points for every dollar spent. Bank of America customers with significant savings will especially benefit from increased reward rates for Preferred Rewards customers.
For those who skip: Skip this card if you need to travel – related perks like free checked baggage and elite status.
Why I Chose This Card:Chase Freedom Unlimited® is not a travel rewards card, but can be combined with Chase's premium travel cards, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve® for greater point value It is a card with no annual fee. Save 25% to 50% when you book travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards. Basically, you can combine points earned from Chase Freedom Unlimited with points earned from Sapphire cards. You can then use your Sapphire Card to redeem rewards for higher value redemptions, such as sending money to Chase Travel Partners or traveling through Chase.
Pros:
- 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards. 5% cash back on purchases at Lyft (until March 2025). 3% cashback on purchases at restaurants and drugstores. 1.5% Cash Back on All Other Purchases
- For the first year, the original cash back rate on all purchases (up to $20,000) plus 1.5% additional cash back (Exclusive by Bankrate) Offer)
- Trip cancellation and interruption insurance
Cons:
- 3 percent overseas Transaction Fees
- Points cannot be transferred to Chase travel partners without a premium card
Who: already has a Sapphire card If you have one and want to earn above average rewards on drugstore purchases and non-categories, consider this cash back credit card.
Someone to skip:Skip this card if you want the option of not charging foreign transaction fees, or if you want travel benefits specific to frequent flyers or hotel loyalty programs.
Discover it Miles: Great for flexible redemptions
Why we chose it:Discover it® miles is a flat rate card that gives you unlimited 1.5x miles on every purchase . As with all other Discover cards, the rewards earned in the first 12 months he doubles at the end of the year.
Pros:
- Generous flat rate of 1.5X miles on all purchases
- Discover offers a first-year Equal to earnings
- No foreign transaction fees (this applies to all Discover credit cards)
- Redeem rewards for flexible travel options
Cons:
- Bonus you have to wait a full year to be welcomed
- No travel benefits
Eligibility : For flexible rewards that can be redeemed for any type of travel, consider Discover it Miles.
Who is this for:
If you want travel-related perks or want to earn a big sign-up bonus within the first few months of opening your account, this Skip the card.
No annual fee Compare the best travel credit cards
| Card | Welcome Offer | Reward Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Capital One VentureOne Rewards credit card | 20,000 bonus miles when you spend $500 within 3 months of account opening |
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| <Delta SkyMiles American Express Blue Card | 10,000 bonus miles when you spend $1,000 in purchases within 6 months of account opening |
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| American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp Card | $500 within 3 months of account opening 10,000 Miles and $50 Statement Credit |
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| Hilton Honors American Express Card | Earn 80,000 Points when you spend $1,000 in the first 3 months of your cardmembership |
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| Bank of America Travel Rewards Credit Card | 25,000 Bonus Points when you spend $1,000 within 90 days of account opening |
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| Chase Freedom Unlimited | Original cash back rate for all purchases (up to $20,000) plus an additional 1.5% cash back (exclusive offer by Bankrate) for the first year |
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| Discover It Miles | All miles earned on first purchase 12 months at end of year 1 matched |
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Benefits of a No Annual Fee Travel Credit Card
In general, no annual fee travel cards offer many benefits:
- Familiarize yourself with the space on your travel card. Not ideal for beginners.
- Don't worry about collecting expensive annual cards. Credit Usage or Earning Fees
- Co-branded cards allow hotel and airline loyalty programs to earn rewards through credit card payments.
- For a limited time, you can receive 0% introductory APRs on purchases or balance transfers.
- You typically receive more travel-related benefits than other no-fee reward cards, including travel purchase rewards and travel-related redemption options.
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How to choose a no annual fee travel credit card
When considering the best no annual fee travel credit card, there are a few key factors to keep in mind.
- Consider your spending style and habits. Ideally, you can find a no annual fee travel card that fits your budget. Look for cards that offer boosted rewards for the types of purchases that make the most monthly spending.
- Compare welcome offers. Profitability is important, but you should also consider the welcome offer. Many no-annual-fee travel credit cards make it easy to earn $200 or more in no time (as long as you meet the criteria).
- Be aware of cardholder benefits.
- Take a closer look at the exchange options. . Choose a travel credit card that allows you to redeem rewards for the type of reward you want. If in doubt, look for flexible travel credit cards that can be redeemed for statement credits that cover various types of travel purchases.
Strong>While no annual fee airline and hotel cards tend to offer in-flight discounts and automatic elite status, some popular travel credit cards in this space , some even offer travel insurance benefits.
Conclusion
While many of the best travel credit cards charge an annual fee, there are also many excellent options with no annual fee. Find a card that maximizes your income to suit your spending habits and future travel plans, then strive to pay off the balance each month to avoid additional costs in the form of interest payments.
*Information regarding the American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp℠ card and the Citi®/AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® is independently collected by warnow.biz. Card details are not verified or approved by the card issuer.