The best credit cards for travel
On $4,000 a year of travel, Wells Fargo Autograph Journey pays back the most: 4x, about $381 a year (9.5%) at AwardHack's value for its points. Chase JP Morgan Reserve (8.0%) and Chase Sapphire Reserve (8.0%) come next. With no annual fee, Wells Fargo Autograph is best at 7.1%.
Airfare, hotels, car rentals and other travel booked directly. Rates for bookings through a card's own travel portal are listed separately.
Top 10 cards for travel
Ranked by what $4,000 a year pays back, after any cap.
- 1Wells Fargo Autograph Journey4x 路 $95 annual fee9.5%$381 a year
- 2Chase JP Morgan Reserve4x 路 8x through Chase Travel 路 $795 annual fee8.0%$320 a year
- 3Chase Sapphire Reserve4x 路 8x through Chase Travel 路 $795 annual fee8.0%$320 a year
- 4HSBC Elite5x 路 $495 annual fee7.5%$300 a year
- 5Wells Fargo Autograph3x 路 no annual fee7.1%$286 a year
- 6Citi Strata Premier3x 路 10x through Citi Travel 路 $95 annual fee6.9%$275 a year
- 7Chase Aeroplan3x 路 $195 annual fee5.6%$224 a year
- 8Amtrak Guest Rewards Preferred2x 路 $99 annual fee5.0%$200 a year
- 9Bilt Obsidian2x 路 3x on dining or groceries, whichever you choose 路 4x through Bilt Travel 路 $95 annual fee4.1%$164 a year
- 10Bilt Palladium2x 路 4x through Bilt Travel 路 $495 annual fee4.1%$164 a year
Best with no annual fee
- 1Wells Fargo Autograph3x 路 no annual fee7.1%$286 a year
- 2U.S. Bank Altitude Connect4x 路 5x through U.S. Bank Travel Center 路 no annual fee4.0%$160 a year
- 3AAA Travel Advantage3% 路 no annual fee3.0%$120 a year
- 4Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards3% on up to $2,500 a quarter combined with dining and gas and groceries, then 1% 路 3% in one category you choose (dining, gas, travel and others); groceries earn 2% 路 no annual fee3.0%$120 a year
- 5Barclays AARP Travel Rewards3% 路 no annual fee3.0%$120 a year
Best business cards
- 1Chase Sapphire Reserve Business4x 路 8x through Chase Travel 路 $795 annual fee8.0%$320 a year
- 2Chase Ink Business Preferred3x on up to $150,000 a year, then 1x 路 $95 annual fee6.0%$240 a year
- 3Capital One Venture Business2x 路 5x through Capital One Business Travel 路 $95 annual fee4.1%$163 a year
- 4Capital One Venture X Business2x 路 10x through Capital One Business Travel 路 $395 annual fee4.1%$163 a year
- 5U.S. Bank Business Altitude Connect4x on up to $150,000 a year combined with gas, then 1x 路 5x through U.S. Bank Travel Center 路 $95 annual fee4.0%$160 a year
How these cards are ranked
Each open US card in AwardHack's catalog is scored on $4,000 a year of travel, which is a round $4,000 a year (BLS publishes no figure that matches card travel categories) from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Points are valued at AwardHack's value per point for each program, with airline and hotel points at no more than the bank points that transfer to them; cash back counts at face value.
Spending caps are applied: once a card's bonus rate hits its limit, the rest of the year's spending earns the rate after the cap. Cards with a pick-your-category or rotating bonus are scored at the bonus rate and marked, since you only get it in the category you choose. Caps last checked November 11, 2026. Annual fees are shown but not subtracted, since a fee pays for a card's other benefits too.
Common questions
What is the best credit card for travel?
By what it pays back on $4,000 a year, Wells Fargo Autograph Journey: 4x, about $381 a year at AwardHack's value for its points. The best card for you also depends on its annual fee and whether you'll use its points well.
What is the best no-annual-fee card for travel?
Wells Fargo Autograph, at 3x: about 7.1% back on $4,000 a year. U.S. Bank Altitude Connect is next at 4.0%.
What is the best business card for travel?
Chase Sapphire Reserve Business, at 4x: about 8.0% back on $4,000 a year.
Do travel rewards have spending caps?
None of the top cards here cap travel rewards, but some cards outside the top ten do. This ranking applies each card's cap to $4,000 a year.
How are points valued?
At AwardHack's value per point for each program, the same values as the Points Valuator, for example 2.00垄 for Chase Ultimate Rewards and 1.99垄 for Amex Membership Rewards. Airline and hotel points count at no more than the bank points that transfer to them, since a point you can transfer is worth at least the points it becomes. Cash back counts at face value. Points can be worth more or less depending on how you redeem them.