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Earning travel rewards doesn’t have to be complicated. Many of the most popular travel credit cards are designed for beginners, offering easy ways to earn and redeem rewards on everyday expenses.
The simplest travel rewards credit cards highlighted in this guide don’t charge annual fees, and make it very easy to redeem points and miles.
No-annual-fee options include the Capital One VentureOne, Wells Fargo Autograph, Bilt Mastercard, and the Amex Blue Business Plus credit card. All earn generous rewards on common purchases, and do not charge foreign transaction fees when you use them for international purchases.
If you’re willing to pay for better perks, consider the Chase Sapphire Preferred for its travel insurance benefits. The Amex Green card offers travel-friendly benefits like CLEAR Plus credits to help you blitz through airport security screening. Meanwhile, the Chase Ink Business Preferred provides top-notch financial protection for your business. The Capital One Venture X is the most expensive card on this list, but it includes complimentary airport lounge access as well as a generous annual travel credit worth nearly as much as its annual fee.
You’ll learn more about each of these cards and their merits in this guide.
Personal cards
Capital One VentureOne
Wells Fargo Autograph Card
American Express Green Card
Bilt Mastercard
Chase Sapphire Preferred
Capital One Venture X
Business cards
Chase Ink Business Preferred
Amex Blue Business Plus
Capital One VentureOne
Best for: Simple ways to redeem travel rewards without paying an annual fee
Welcome bonus: 20,000 Capital One miles after $500 spend in your first three months of card ownership, plus $100 credit to use towards flights, stays, and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel during your first year as a cardholder. Annual fee: $0 Earning rates:
5 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars via Capital One Travel
1.25 miles per dollar everywhere else
Other benefits:
0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for your first 15 billing cycles
No foreign transaction fees
Transfer rewards to airline and hotel partners
The Capital One VentureOne is ideal for newbies who want simple travel rewards and little to no learning curve for redemptions, without paying an annual fee. It’s a great starter credit card that earns flat-rate travel rewards, making it ideal for beginners who want to earn rewards on everyday purchases without investing too much time or effort.
Capital One offers one of the simplest redemption methods possible: You can use your rewards to pay down any eligible travel expense. You can also transfer rewards to a large number of airline and hotel partners.
Wells Fargo Autograph Card
Best for: Wells Fargo customers who want to earn generous rewards on common expenses Welcome bonus: 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in the first three months as a cardholder. Annual fee: $0 Earning rates:
3 points per dollar on dining, travel, gas, transit, select streaming services, and cell phone bills
1 point per dollar on all other purchases
Other benefits:
0% intro APR for your first 12 billing cycles
Cell phone insurance
No foreign transaction fees
Rental car auto collision damage waiver
ransfer rewards to airline and hotel partners
The Wells Fargo Autograph is a great option for households that want an entry-level travel credit card for all spending that doesn’t have an annual fee. This card’s bonus categories are quite extensive, especially compared to other no-annual-fee credit cards. Better yet, cardholders are covered by Wells Fargo’s cell phone insurance coverage, which offers complimentary coverage for damaged or lost phones with eligible claims.
American Express Green Card
Best for: Earning Amex points on dining, travel, and transit; CLEAR Plus membership Welcome bonus: 40,000 Amex Membership Rewards points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first six months
Annual fee: Around $150–$200 (exact varies by version). Earning rates:
3 points per dollar on travel, including airfare, hotels, car rentals, and public transit
3 points per dollar on restaurants, including takeout and delivery
1 point per dollar on all other purchases
Other benefits:
Up to $209 CLEAR Plus credit
Trip delay and baggage insurance
Car rental loss/damage insurance
No foreign transaction fees
The Amex Green is a great card for commuters and foodies who value travel rewards and benefits. If you spend a lot of money on dining and travel and don’t mind paying an annual fee to earn Membership Rewards, the Amex Green card may be a great fit for you.
Travelers who value minimal time spent in airport lines will appreciate the annual CLEAR Plus credit, which lets them take the expedited lane for security screening. The card also offers trip delay and baggage insurance, which is helpful for covering unexpected expenses when travel plans go awry.
Bilt Mastercard
Best for: Renters who want to earn rewards on housing and lifestyle expenses Welcome bonus: None; although Bilt offers rewards for new cardholders from time to time Annual fee: $0 Earning rates (must use the card at least five times a month to earn rewards):
5+ points per dollar on Bilt Neighborhood Dining
5 points per dollar on Lyft purchases
3 points per dollar on all other dining, including takeout and delivery
2 points per dollar on travel
1 point per dollar on rent (no fees)
Double points on Bilt Rent Day (first of each month, excluding rent) on up to $1,000 in spend
Other benefits:
No foreign transaction fees
Earn flexible rewards on up to $100,000 in rent payments per calendar year
Redeem rewards for travel, rent, new home down payments, and more
Travel insurance
Cell phone insurance
The Bilt Mastercard is a one-of-a-kind lifestyle credit card with solid travel benefits, especially for a no-annual-fee card. Cardholders who use the card at least five times each month earn rewards on rent, plus bonus points on every dollar spent on dining, travel, Lyft, and other expenses. On the first day of every month, cardholders earn double points on most expenses (up to the first $1,000 spent, excluding rent).
Chase Sapphire Preferred
Best for: Families who value travel insurance coverage, travelers who value Chase points Welcome bonus: 75,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months of card ownership
Annual fee: $95 Earning rates:
5 points per dollar on travel booked through Chase (excluding purchases that qualify for the $50 hotel credit)
3 points per dollar on dining (including eligible delivery services), streaming, and online groceries
2 points per dollar on other travel
1 point per dollar on all other purchases
Other benefits:
$50 annual hotel credit through Chase Travel
Generous travel insurance coverage
No foreign transaction fees
Rewards that transfer to more than a dozen airline and hotel partners
The Chase Sapphire Preferred is one of the best travel credit cards for beginners, with outstanding travel insurance benefits and an annual credit of up to $50 for hotels booked through Chase.
Cardholders can choose between redeeming rewards for travel through Chase or by transferring points to popular airlines and hotels like Southwest, United, Marriott, and Hyatt. Best of all, the travel insurance included with this credit card is generous and easy to use.
Capital One Venture X
Best for: Frequent travelers who want top-tier airport benefits at a comparatively low cost Welcome bonus: 75,000 Capital One miles after spending $4,000 in three months Annual fee: $395 Earning rates:
10 points per dollar on hotels and rental cars via Capital One Travel
5 points per dollar on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel
2 points per dollar on all other purchases
Other benefits:
Access to Capital One Airport lounges and Priority Pass Select membership
Up to $300 annual Capital One Travel credit
10,000-mile bonus each year on your card anniversary
Up to $120 credit toward Global Entry/TSA PreCheck once every four years
If you’re a frequent traveler, consider the Capital One Venture X credit card an investment in your comfort. The $395 annual fee is worth the cost if you spend enough money on travel yearly to maximize the annual statement credit and many travel benefits.
Best of all, this premium travel card comes with complimentary airport lounge access at an annual fee price point that costs half as much as its competitors.
Business cards
Chase Ink Business Preferred
Best for: Small business owners who spend on shipping, travel, and office purchases Welcome bonus: 90,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points after spending $8,000 in your first three months of card ownership Annual fee: $95 Earning rates:
3 points per dollar on shipping, advertising, Internet/phone, and travel, on up to $150,000 each year, then 1 point per dollar
1 point per dollar on all other purchases
Other benefits:
Points that transfer to airline and hotel partners
Cell phone insurance
Generous travel insurance
Order free employee cards for trusted additional users
The Chase Ink Business Preferred is the gold standard for business owners with varied expenses, offering generous rewards on common company expenses like shipping, advertising, select utilities, and travel.
Rewards can be combined with those earned from many other Chase cards for additional flexibility and redemption opportunities, and the card comes with generous benefits and protections for small business purchases.
American Express Business Platinum
Best for: Frequent business travelers willing to pay for luxury benefits and strong travel protections Welcome bonus: Earn 150,000 Amex points after spending $20,000 on eligible purchases within your first three months of card ownership Annual fee: $695 Earning rates:
5 points per dollar spent on flights and prepaid hotels booked through Amex Travel
1.5 points per dollar on eligible purchases in select business categories and on purchases over $5,000
1 point per dollar on all other purchases
Other benefits:
Annual statement credits worth thousands of dollars toward eligible travel and business expenses
Airport lounge access
Travel insurance
Gold elite status with Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors
The Amex Business Platinum is one of the most recognizable cards for international business travelers with big expenses who want the ultimate business card for luxury.
This card shines for business owners who prioritize premium travel comfort and can maximize most of the included annual credits, benefits, and airport lounge access. If your company finances can handle the steep annual fee, this card offers every benefit you could want for personal and professional travel.
