Best Credit Cards for Travel & Flights
Airlines, hotels, travel booking, and accommodation
4
3x Points (3 MPD)
3500
Quick Answer
The best credit card for travel & flights is Chase Sapphire Reserve
Why: 3x Points (3 MPD) with no cap. Included in whitelist
Earns 3x on travel and dining. $550 annual fee.
Top Cards for Travel & Flights
Chase Sapphire Reserve
Included in whitelist
Note: Earns 3x on travel and dining. $550 annual fee.
Rank
Amex Platinum
Included in whitelist
Note: Earns 5x on flights (direct booking) and hotels via Amex Travel. $695 annual fee.
Rank
Capital One Venture X
No restrictions
Note: Earns 2x on everything, 5x on travel via Capital One Travel portal. $395 annual fee.
Rank
Citi Double Cash
No restrictions
Note: Earns 2% on everything (1% purchase + 1% payment). No annual fee.
Rank
Choose Based on Your Spending
Light Spender
Under $500/month
Best:
Chase Sapphire Reserve
No need to worry about caps with light spending
Moderate Spender
$500-2,000/month
Best:
Amex Platinum
Balance between rate and cap utilization
Heavy Spender
Over $2,000/month
Best:
Capital One Venture X
Maximize rewards with card pairing strategy
Understanding Travel & Flights MCC Codes
Travel & Flights includes the following Merchant Category Codes (MCC):
+125 more MCC codes in this category
Expert Tips for Travel & Flights
Maximize Monthly Caps
Most cards have monthly caps. Plan your spending to hit the cap without going over.
Consider Card Pairing
Use 2-3 cards to cover different categories and maximize overall rewards.
Check Online vs On Site
Some cards only work for online or offline transactions. Verify before spending.