Top Credit Cards for Travel Rewards & Points (2026 Update) | 4 Premium Picks

Are premium travel credit cards actually worth their high annual fees—or are you overpaying for perks you won’t fully use? This post breaks down the top credit cards for travel rewards and points, including annual fees, perks, elite status benefits, redemption strategies, point value, and how to choose the right card for different types of purchases. By the end, you’ll have a clear understanding of whether it makes sense to hold one—or all four—cards in your wallet.

I currently carry four premium travel credit cards that I consider the best options for travel rewards:

• Chase Sapphire Reserve
• Capital One Venture X
• American Express Platinum Card
• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card

The annual fees on these four cards total $2,700—not insignificant. But each year, I use enough of the benefits, rewards, and travel perks that the cards not only justify their cost, but often deliver additional value beyond it.

In this post, I’ll break down how I actually use each card, which benefits I value, which ones I don’t, and how to decide whether this type of premium card strategy fits your own travel style.

This isn’t a simple comparison. The best travel credit card strategy depends on how often you travel, where you go, how you redeem points, and whether you’ll actually use the benefits included with each card.

There’s a reason so many strategies exist in the travel rewards space—the “best” card really depends on the person using it.

I haven’t paid cash for a flight in over 15 years thanks to my points strategy, and with the right approach, it’s possible to significantly reduce your travel costs as well.

Why I don’t include hotel program access or luxury hotel credits in the benefits summary

Most premium travel credit cards include access to a luxury hotel program or collection, along with statement credits designed to encourage bookings through these programs.

For example:

• American Express Platinum Card members receive access to Fine Hotels + Resorts and up to $600 annually ($300 semiannually) toward eligible bookings through American Express Travel.
• Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders receive access to The Edit by Chase Travel, along with up to $500 annually in statement credits for eligible luxury hotel bookings (maximum $250 per transaction with a two-night minimum stay).

The appeal of these programs is the additional perks you receive when booking through the collection, such as complimentary breakfast, room upgrades (when available), early check-in/late checkout, and property credits.

However, I don’t include these benefits in the card summaries below because the value is highly dependent on your travel style and booking habits. The hotels included in these collections are typically luxury properties with luxury price tags, and booking through a credit card travel portal can sometimes cost more than booking directly with the hotel or through a travel site like Expedia— even after factoring in the included perks and statement credits.

There is also a practical consideration: finding a property in these collections that fits your destination, budget, and travel plans can require extra effort. The credits are only valuable if you would have chosen one of these hotels anyway.

For that reason, I view these as optional luxury travel perks rather than guaranteed card benefits. They can provide excellent value for travelers who regularly book high-end hotels, but they are not benefits the average traveler will consistently maximize, so I do not include them in my overall card value calculations.

Perks included with each of these premium travel credit cards

So as not to repeat myself in each card section, the below benefits are included with each card:

Global Entry / TSA PreCheck fee credit – Most cards reimburse either Global Entry ($120) or TSA PreCheck ($85). Since Global Entry includes TSA PreCheck, it’s typically the better option. Global Entry is valid for five years, effectively reducing the annualized cost of the credit to about $24 per year when used.

Purchase protection and extended warranty – Coverage for new purchases against damage or theft (typically up to 90 days, or 120 days with the Chase Sapphire Reserve), along with extended warranty protection on eligible items.

No foreign transaction fees – Allows you to use your card internationally without additional charges on purchases.

Airport lounge access (Priority Pass Select) – Most premium cards include Priority Pass, which provides access to a network of airport lounges. However, this does not include flagship airline lounges such as Delta Sky Club or American Express Centurion Lounges.

The Priority Pass app shows participating lounges at each airport, and in my experience, international locations (most notably Europe) tend to offer a better experience than most U.S. airports.

While this benefit is often marketed as a major perk, it has become increasingly common across premium credit cards. As a result, lounge overcrowding is now an issue at many locations, and entry can occasionally be denied when lounges reach capacity.

See my other travel tips:

17 Essentials for International Travel | Items to Pack for EVERY Trip

How to Pack Light for 2 Weeks | Carry On Only

BEST Places to Visit in Europe | 11 MUST-Visit Destinations

How to Travel Europe on a Budget | 13 Tips to Save Money

Chase Sapphire Reserve

Use Chase Sapphire Reserve for all travel and dining purchases

The Chase Sapphire Reserve is my go-to card for travel and dining purchases. Out of the four premium travel credit cards in my wallet, this is the one I reach for most often when I’m traveling — especially internationally.

The biggest reason? The travel protections.

In my opinion, the Chase Sapphire Reserve has the best travel insurance coverage of the premium cards I carry. The Capital One Venture X comes in a close second, but when I’m outside the U.S., I like knowing I have stronger coverage if something goes wrong.

The card includes trip delay reimbursement, trip cancellation/interruption insurance, rental car insurance, baggage delay coverage, and emergency medical and evacuation benefits.

The American Express Platinum, Capital One Venture X, and Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant all offer some type of travel protection, but none of them are as comprehensive as the Chase Sapphire Reserve.

Reward Program/Portal: Chase Ultimate Rewards

Chase Ultimate Rewards is one of the best points programs because of the flexibility. You can transfer points 1:1 to 14 airline and hotel partners, including Hyatt, United, Marriott, and British Airways.

You can also redeem points through the Chase Travel portal. Points are typically worth 1 cent each, although Chase occasionally offers “Points Boost” opportunities on select travel bookings.

Annual Fee: $795

Do the perks cancel out the annual fee?

Yes for frequent travelers, no for casual travelers who don't track credit.

With the changes in 2025, the Chase Sapphire Reserve is no longer a guaranteed net-zero cost. To cover the steep annual fee, some effort is required in tracking (and using) the card benefits. It's annoying, but worthwhile for frequent travelers.

The perks are worth it for me, and I'm able to essentially make money by owning the card and using the benefits.

Between the $300 annual travel credit, $120 Lyft credits, $300 OpenTable dining credits, shopping credits (more on that below—I usually earn $100 to $300 a year), 25% to 35% car rental savings, etc., it's not hard for frequent travelers to dwindle the annual fee to zero.

Earning Points

• 8x points on hotels and flights booked through Chase Travel
• 4x points on flights and hotels booked directly
• 3x points on dining worldwide
• 5x points on Lyft rides
• 1x points on everything else

Benefits Summary 

$300 in Annual Travel Credits - The travel category is broad and includes hotels, flights, Ubers, trains, Airbnb, and more. You’ll receive credits on your monthly statement until you reach $300. 

$120 annual Peloton Credit - $10 credit each month for your Peloton membership.

 $120 annual Lyft Credit - $10 credit each month for Lyft rides.

$300 in annual credits at Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables on OpenTable ($150 semi-annually).

$300 annual credit for StubHub concert and event tickets 

Complimentary Apple TV+ and Apple Music Subscription - Valued at $250 a year.

IHG Platinum Status

Travel Coverage and Insurance - Baggage delay insurance, rental car insurance, trip cancellation/interruption insurance, trip delay insurance.

Roadside Assistance – You’re covered up to $50 per service, four times a year.

Lost Luggage Reimbursement – Receive up to $3,000 per passenger if your luggage is lost by the carrier.

Emergency Evacuation Benefit – Cardholders can be covered up to $100,000 for transportation and medical services if they or an immediate family member becomes sick or injured during a trip and requires emergency evacuation.

Emergency Medical and Dental Benefit – Cardholders can be reimbursed up to $2,500 for medical expenses if they or an immediate family member becomes sick during a trip that’s 100 miles or more away from home.

Rental Car Privileges - Instant Executive Level status with National Rental Car and special car rental privileges with Avis and Hertz.

National Executive status is the standout benefit. It allows you to skip the counter and choose from the Executive aisle, which is often a faster process and better selection.

DoorDash (meal delivery credits and status) – Includes a free DashPass membership (valued at $120) and $300 in annual credits (one $5 restaurant credit and two $10 grocery/retail credits per month).

In reality, I don’t put much value in this benefit. The issue is pricing. Between higher menu prices, delivery fees, service fees, and tips, the final cost (even after applying the monthly credits) is often the same — or sometimes more — than ordering directly.

Chase Offers - A list of offers is constantly updated on the Chase website. $10 back when you spend $50 at Cole Haan, $50 back when you spend $200 at Omni Hotels, etc. I check these offers every month. You have to click “add offer to your card” for Chase to register the purchase and award the resulting statement credit. On average, I earn between $100 and $300 in statement credits each year for purchases I would have normally made. 

Final Thoughts

Despite the high annual fee, the Chase Sapphire Reserve remains the most valuable premium travel card in my wallet.

The travel protections alone make this card worth keeping for me, but when you add in the flexible credits, transfer partners, and perks I actually use (like hotel and rental car status), it’s the card I reach for most — especially when traveling internationally.

Capital One Venture X

Use Capital One Venture X for "default/everyday spending".

The Capital One Venture X is my default spending card. While the Chase Sapphire Reserve is my go-to for travel and dining, the Venture X is the card I use when I don’t have a specific bonus category in mind since it earns 2x points on all purchases.

The biggest advantage of this card is how easy it is to justify the annual fee.

Reward Program/Portal

Capital One Travel

Annual Fee: $395

Do the perks cancel out the annual fee?

An easy YES, with little to no work required.

The Venture X has the lowest annual fee of the premium travel cards in my wallet, and it’s also one of the easiest to offset.

The $300 annual travel credit, 10,000 anniversary bonus miles (worth around $185 when transferred to travel partners), and Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit already cover the annual fee.

Earning Points

• 10x miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• 5x miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel
• 2x miles on everything else

Redeeming Points

Capital One miles transfer 1:1 to 16 travel partners, including Air France/KLM, British Airways, Turkish Airlines, and Qantas.

You can also redeem miles through the Capital One Travel portal at 1 cent per mile.

One thing I really like about Capital One Travel is the pricing. In my experience, the Capital One portal is usually better than the Chase and Amex travel portals when comparing flight prices.

Chase uses Expedia's travel portal, while Capital One uses Hopper's technology. I often find the same prices — and occasionally lower prices — than what I see on Google Flights.

With American Express, I find prices are almost always higher. With Chase, prices are usually the same or slightly higher.

Benefits Summary

$300 in Annual Travel Credits - For travel booked via the Capital One Travel portal.

Travel Coverage and Insurance - Rental car insurance (primary), trip cancellation/interruption insurance, trip delay insurance, and more.

Lost Luggage Reimbursement – Receive up to $3,000 per trip if your luggage is lost by the carrier. 

Rental Car Privileges - Hertz President's Circle status, which comes with guaranteed upgrades, 50% bonus points, and more.

Cell Phone Protection - Up to $800 per claim with a maximum of two claims a year.

Capital One Offers - Similar to Chase Offers, Capital One lets you earn cash back on purchases by clicking through Capital One Shopping and paying with your Venture X card.

Offers vary, but examples include 10% back (up to $25) at Lululemon or 13% back on Viator. I check these periodically because they’re often for purchases I would have made anyway.

Final thoughts

The Venture X will always have a place in my wallet for three reasons:

• The 2x points earning for all purchases.
• How easy it is to dwindle the $395 annual fee to zero after the $300 annual travel credit and 10,000 anniversary points.
• Access to Capital One Lounges.

If you want a card that requires little to no work in tracking and using benefits/perks, this card fits the bill.

American Express Platinum

Use American Express Platinum for flights booked directly with the airline and shopping with AMEX offers.

The American Express Platinum is the card I use for flights and for maximizing AMEX Offers. Unlike the Chase Sapphire Reserve, which is my go-to travel card because of its protections, the Platinum is all about the credits, lounge access, and elite status perks.

Reward Program/Portal

American Express Membership Rewards

Annual Fee: $895

Do the perks cancel out the annual fee?

If you track credits and use Global Entry + Clear, yes.

The AMEX Platinum is not a guaranteed net-zero cost card. To make the annual fee worth it, you need to actually use the benefits.

For me, some credits are easy to use. The $200 Uber credit (which includes Uber Eats), $400 Resy restaurant credit, Global Entry reimbursement ($24 per year), and Clear Plus membership credit ($209) already cover a significant portion of the annual fee.

After those credits, the $895 annual fee is effectively $62.  

If you’re someone who travels frequently and stays organized with the benefits, it’s possible to get significantly more value from the card and come out ahead.

Earning Points

• 5x points on flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express Travel
• 5x points on prepaid hotels through AmexTravel.com
• 1x points on everything else

Redeeming Points

American Express Membership Rewards transfer to 18 airline partners and 3 hotel partners.

This is where AMEX really shines. In my opinion, the best value comes from transferring points to travel partners — I almost never redeem AMEX points through the travel portal.

The travel portal often prices higher than booking directly with the airline or through a site like Expedia, so transferring points usually gives you a better return.

AMEX also offers occasional transfer bonuses, such as bonus points when transferring to select airline partners (example: 30% bonus when you transfer to British Airways).

Benefits Summary

AMEX Offers – You’ll find rotating deals like $10 back when you spend $50 at Cole Haan or $50 back when you spend $200 at Omni Hotels.

You do need to manually add each offer in your account before making a purchase.

On average, I earn anywhere from $500 to $1,000 per year from AMEX Offers on purchases I would have made anyway.

In my experience, AMEX Offers are significantly more valuable than Chase Offers. With Chase, I usually earn around $100 per year, while AMEX tends to be several hundred dollars higher.

International Airline Program - Book discounted first-class, business, and premium economy tickets with participating airlines for international routes originating in the United States. While this sounds like a good perk, I haven’t found meaningful savings when compared to booking directly.

$100 Saks Shopping Credit - $50 statement credit semiannually.

$300 Lululemon Shopping Credit - $75 statement credit quarterly.

$200 in Uber/Uber Eats Credits - $15 monthly credit ($20 in December) and automatic Uber VIP status. 

$400 in Resy Restaurant Credits - $100 statement credits quarterly for dining purchases at over 10,000 U.S. Resy restaurants.

$200 Airline Fee Credit – This includes baggage fees, in-flight refreshments, and other incidental fees charged by airlines. I’ve also been able to use this for award ticket taxes or WiFi subscriptions in some cases.

$300 Annual Digital Entertainment Credit - $25 in statement credits monthly for subscriptions including Disney+, Hulu, WSJ, YouTube TV, and more. This used to be a stronger benefit, but it’s been downgraded over time and I don’t really assign much value to it anymore. Sad was the day they dropped Audible and SiriusXM.

Access to AMEX Lounges and Delta Sky Club (when flying Delta) – The Platinum Card gives access to the coveted Centurion Lounges and Delta Sky Club (when flying Delta).

Centurion Lounges are known for quality food, cocktails, and overall design, and some even include showers and spa services.

That said, they have become noticeably more crowded over the years. Since guest access rules have tightened, AMEX lounges are slightly less crowded than before, but capacity issues can still happen at peak times.

Instant Hilton Honors Gold Status and Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite Status - Hilton Gold includes free WiFi, room upgrades when available, 80% bonus points on paid stays, and free continental breakfast at most properties. You also get the 5th night free when booking with points.

Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite includes 25% bonus points on stays, room upgrades when available, and 2:00 p.m. late checkout.

Rental Car Privileges and Status - Elite status with National, Hertz, and Avis.

As with Chase, National Executive status is the standout benefit. It allows you to skip the counter and choose from the Executive aisle, which is often a faster process and better selection.

Travel Coverage and Insurance - Lost baggage insurance, trip delay insurance, trip cancellation and interruption insurance, and car rental loss/damage insurance.

AMEX offers secondary car rental insurance, meaning you would need to go through your personal car insurance first. Chase and Capital One are more valuable here, as both offer primary coverage, which means you don’t have to involve your personal insurance at all.

Cell Phone Protection - Up to $800 per claim with a maximum of two claims a year.

Final Thoughts

The AMEX Platinum is not the easiest premium card to justify because the value comes from stacking multiple credits.

It works for me because I naturally use many of the benefits — especially AMEX Offers, along with the Uber, Resy, and airline fee credits. Lounge access is also a nice perk for frequent travelers.

It’s not a card I use for everything, but I keep it because I consistently get more value from it than the annual fee.

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express

Use Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express for Marriott stays (hotel, dining, spa — anything charged to your room) if you don't have the Chase Sapphire Reserve.

A Marriott-branded credit card makes sense if you stay at Marriott properties regularly. With over 6,500 hotels worldwide, the flexibility is hard to beat.

Reward Program/Portal

Marriott Bonvoy

Annual Fee: $650

Do the perks cancel out the annual fee?

If you use the annual free night award for a hotel priced over $350, it's an easy YES.

The easiest value to unlock is the $300 annual dining credit, which immediately brings the effective annual fee down.

From there, the annual free night award is what really drives the value. I typically redeem it for nights worth $350+, and often closer to $800.

If you also take advantage of AMEX Offers (similar to the Platinum Card) and the $100 credit at Ritz-Carlton and St. Regis properties, this card can easily become net positive in the right situations.

On top of that, the 25 elite night credits each year make it much easier to reach Marriott status without extra stays.

Earning Points:

• 6 points per dollar at Marriott
• 3 points on restaurants and flights booked directly with the airline
• 2 points for everything else.

Benefit Summary

$300 Dining Statement Credit – $25 in statement credits each month for purchases made at restaurants, cafes, etc. 

Annual Free Night Award (up to 85,000 points) – Issued each year on your account anniversary. This can be topped off with up to 25,000 additional points, which increases flexibility when booking higher-end properties.

I usually save this for stays well above the base value — often $500–$800+ per night.

Instant Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite Status - One of the most valuable parts of this card. Benefits include:

• 50% bonus points on stays
• Room upgrades when available
• 4 p.m. late checkout
• Lounge access at many properties
• Free breakfast at most brands without lounges

The combination of breakfast, upgrades, and late checkout makes a noticeable difference when staying at Marriott properties.

Travel Coverage and Insurance - Standard travel protections like trip delay, baggage insurance, and rental car coverage, but they are not nearly as strong as what you get with the Chase Sapphire Reserve or Capital One Venture X.

AMEX Offers – Same program as the AMEX Platinum—rotating deals like $10 back when you spend $50 at Cole Haan or $50 back when you spend $200 at Omni Hotels.

You do need to manually add each offer in your account before making a purchase.

On average, I earn anywhere from $500 to $1,000 per year from AMEX Offers on purchases I would have made anyway.

25 Elite Night Credits – Each calendar year, receive 25 Elite Night Credits to help you reach the next Marriott Bonvoy status level. 

$100 Property Credit (Ritz-Carlton & St. Regis) - Available on select prepaid rates with a minimum two-nigh– Available on select prepaid rates with a minimum two-night stay.

Final Thoughts

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant only makes sense if you actually stay within the Marriott ecosystem.

For me, the value comes from the free night award, Platinum status, and AMEX Offers. Outside of that, I don’t use it for much else — but those benefits are enough to justify keeping it in my wallet.

Final Thoughts on the Top Credit Cards for Travel Rewards

I hope this post helps you decide whether a premium travel credit card makes sense based on your spending habits and travel patterns. You may even find that carrying more than one works in your favor.

Because I travel frequently and take the time to track and use each card’s benefits, I’ve yet to have a year where any of these cards cost me anything out of pocket.

My ranking of all four cards

Who each card is for (quick summary):
Chase Sapphire Reserve is for frequent travelers who want strong protections and flexible points. Capital One Venture X is for simple, low-maintenance earning on everything. American Express Platinum is for travelers who will actively use credits and lounge access. Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant is for people who regularly stay at Marriott properties.

1. Chase Sapphire Reserve
Best overall travel card for flexibility, protections, and everyday use while traveling.

2. Capital One Venture X
Best “default spending” card. Simple structure, strong flat earning rate, and the easiest card to justify from a cost perspective.

3. American Express Platinum
Best for credits, lounge access, and AMEX Offers — but only if you actively use the benefits. High value when optimized, less compelling if not.

4. Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express
Best for Marriott loyalists. Extremely strong if you regularly stay within the Marriott ecosystem, but the most niche of the four for everyday use.

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Top Credit Cards for Travel Rewards & Points (2026 Update) | 4 Premium Picks

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