Best Travel Credit Cards with No Annual Fee

Yes, travel credit cards are worth having for people who travel multiple times per year and spend enough for the cards’ rewards and supplemental benefits to outweigh any annual fees. People who travel less frequently may also find travel credit cards with no annual fee to be worth getting.

In addition, it’s worth noting that a travel credit card could be one of multiple cards in your wallet. It’s not necessary to choose between travel rewards and cash back, for example.

Travel Credit Cards That Are Worth Getting

(see details, rates & fees)

Initial Bonus: 75,000 miles for spending $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening.

Ongoing Rewards: 5 miles per $1 spent on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, 5 miles per $1 spent on Capital One Entertainment purchases through 12/31/25, as well as 2 miles per $1 on all other purchases

Travel Perks: Up to $120 for the Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee.

Annual Fee: $95

Minimum Credit Required: Good credit

Initial Bonus: 75,000 points for spending $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months of account opening.

Ongoing Rewards: 5 points per $1 spent on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 2 points per $1 on all other travel purchases, 3 points per $1 on dining and online grocery purchases, 3 points per $1 on select streaming services, and 1 point per $1 on all other purchases

Travel Perks: $50 annual hotel credit.

Annual Fee: $95

Minimum Credit Required: Good credit

Initial Bonus: 60,000 points after spending $1,000 and paying the annual fee in full within the first 90 days.

Ongoing Rewards: 6 points per $1 spent on JetBlue purchases, 2 points per $1 spent at restaurants and grocery stores, and 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases

Travel Perks: Free checked bags for you and up to 3 companions; 50% savings on eligible inflight purchases on all JetBlue flights; and a statement credit after purchasing a vacation package with JetBlue.

Annual Fee: $99

Minimum Credit Required: Excellent credit

Initial Bonus: 60,000 points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months of account opening.

Ongoing Rewards: 10 points per $1 spent at Choice Hotels, 5 points per $1 spent at gas stations, grocery stores and home improvement stores, 5 points per $1 spent on phone plan services, and 1 point per $1 spent on other purchases

Travel Perks: Get automatic Gold Elite status in the Choice Privileges loyalty program and earn 10% bonus points every time you book a qualifying stay at a Choice property.

Annual Fee: $95

Minimum Credit Required: Good credit

Initial Bonus: 60,000 points for spending $6,000 in the first 180 days of account opening.

Ongoing Rewards: 5 points per $1 spent on prepaid hotels and car rentals booked directly in the Travel Center, 4 points per $1 spent on travel, gas and EV charging stations excluding discount stores/supercenters and wholesale clubs (on the first $150,000 spent annually in these categories combined), 2 points per $1 spent on dining, takeout, restaurant delivery and cell service providers, as well as 1 point per $1 spent on all other eligible purchases

Travel Perks: Airport lounge access with Priority Pass Select membership; $25 taxi/rideshare credits after three consecutive monthly taxi or rideshare transactions paid for with your card. You can earn this bonus repeatedly, too.

Annual Fee: $0 intro 1st yr, $95 after

Minimum Credit Required: Good credit

How to Decide If a Travel Credit Card Is Worth It

1. Compare expected rewards earnings to the cost of the card.

For a travel credit card to be worth it, the card’s rewards and benefits should outweigh its fees. So, you should estimate how much you expect to spend on the card each year, then calculate how much you’d earn in rewards. After that, subtract the card’s annual fee to find out its net rewards value.

2. Compare the value to other credit card offers.

The travel credit card’s net value – rewards and benefits, minus fees – should be higher than what other comparable cards offer. A credit card is not truly worth it if getting that card means bypassing a better deal.

3. Take annual fees into account, but don’t rule them out.

Nearly all of the best travel credit cards charge an annual fee. But there are plenty of benefits that reduce the impact of such a fee. For example, an initial bonus is one factor that can easily make a travel credit card worth getting.

The best travel rewards cards offer sizeable bonuses when you meet minimum spending requirements in the first year. Top initial bonus offers cover the cost of their card’s annual fee for several years.

4. Make sure the redemption options suit you.

Typically, you can redeem a travel card’s rewards for travel-focused purchases such as airfare or hotel stays, as well as other options like gift cards, merchandise, or cash. The value of those rewards varies by card. But in most cases, you’ll get the highest value when you redeem for travel.

5. Consider co-branded travel cards if you have a favorite airline or hotel chain.

People who frequent a specific hotel or airline may get the most value from co-branded travel cards that offer enhanced rewards for loyal customers. Common perks on such cards include free checked bags, seat or room upgrades and lounge access.

However, you’ll lose flexibility when earning and redeeming rewards, relative to a general travel card. Co-branded travel cards tend to give the best rewards at their affiliated airline or hotel, and your rewards are usually tied to that company’s loyalty program.

6. Make sure there’s no foreign fee if you’re spending internationally.

The travel credit cards that are most worth it for international travelers and shoppers are ones that come with no foreign transaction fee. Foreign transaction fees are usually around 3% of each purchase made with a foreign merchant. But luckily, most travel cards don’t have this fee.

It’s also important to check your credit score before submitting an application for any travel credit card. The best travel credit cards tend to require at least good credit (a score of 700+), and some even require excellent credit (a score of 750+) for approval.

The best airline credit card with no annual fee is United Gateway℠ Card. It offers 2 miles per $1 spent with United, 2 miles per $1 spent on gas station purchases, local transit and commuting, and 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases. New cardholders also get an initial bonus of 30,000 miles for spending $1,000 in the first 3 months, and there’s no foreign transaction fee.

Best Airline Credit Cards with No Annual Fee

Yes, there is one credit card with lounge access and no annual fee. The U.S. Bank Altitude Connect offers a complimentary Priority Pass™ Select membership for a year, which gives you 4 free visits to over 1,700 airport lounges worldwide and comes with $0 annual fee. Besides that, the card also provides protection and assistance when traveling with trip cancelation/interruption, trip delay reimbursement and SmartDelay. The U.S. Bank Altitude Connect offers some great rewards as well.

U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Rewards

The best hotel credit card with no annual fee is the Choice Privileges® Mastercard®. It offers 1 - 5 points per $1 spent on purchases, giving you bonus rewards at Choice hotels, gas stations, grocery stores, home improvement stores and more.

You can also earn an initial bonus of 40,000 points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. Those bonus points are worth approximately $428 in hotel reservations. Plus, the Choice Privileges® Mastercard® has a $0 foreign transaction fee, in addition to its $0 annual fee.

Best Hotel Credit Cards with No...

One of the best travel credit cards for beginners who are new to credit is the Petal® 2 Visa® Credit Card. This card offers 1% cash back on all eligible purchases, up to 1.25% back after 6 months of on-time payments, and 1.5% cash back after 12 consecutive months of paying on time.

The Petal 2 Card also has a $0 annual fee and a 0% foreign transaction fee, which makes it a good option for international travel.

Best Travel Credit Cards for Beginners

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It is better to use a credit card than a debit card on vacation because credit cards are more secure and more likely to help you earn rewards while you’re away from home. Some credit cards also come with valuable travel perks like airport lounge access, free nights at select hotels, or a statement credit for TSA PreCheck. Similarly, if you have the right travel credit card, you’ll benefit from travel insurance that can protect...

Yes, getting a credit card for travel is  a good idea because it can offer numerous perks and benefits, especially if you travel a lot. Depending on the card that you get, it could offer travel insurance, no foreign transaction fees, and even rewards for purchases. All these features can enhance your travel experience by reducing costs and adding peace of mind.

However, getting a credit card should not be a decision made lightly. There...

It is better to get a credit card with no annual fee because it can help you earn rewards and improve your credit without any extra cost. You can leave a credit card with no annual fee open indefinitely, making it easier to build a long credit history as well...

One of the best 0% APR travel credit cards is the Chase Freedom Unlimited® card. It offers an intro APR of 0% for 15 months on both new purchases and balance transfers, and it rewards you with 1.5 - 5% cash back on purchases – including 5% back on travel booked through Chase.

Best 0% APR Travel Credit Cards in 2025

Most of the cards listed above do not have a foreign fee. For more choices, see our full list of the best travel credit cards and the best 0% APR credit cards.