Travel Smart, Pay Zero
When it comes to travel credit cards, there are dozens you can choose from. However, many of the most popular options come with hefty annual fees that aren’t necessarily justified by the benefits they bring.
These costly cards aren’t your only option, though. Below, you will learn about six of the best travel credit cards you can apply for today — and they all come without an annual fee.
Top 6 No-Annual-Fee Credit Cards for Jetsetters
1. Discover it Miles
If you’re in the market for your first travel credit card, Discover it Miles needs to be on your short list of contenders. This card offers excellent benefits for you during your first year, like their matching program.
For starters, Discover will automatically match all the miles (points) you earn in your first 12 months with the card. There’s no limit, so you can easily start racking up points if you have a few sizable purchases to make within the next calendar year.
From there, you’ll receive 1.5 miles per dollar you spend. When it’s time to cash in your points, Discover makes that easy, too. You can either redeem your points for travel expenses like plane tickets, or you can swap them for cash. This flexibility is one of the stand-out features of this Discover card.
2. Bank of America Travel Rewards Credit Card
This Travel Rewards Credit Card from Bank of America is another solid option if you’re new to the credit card world and want to start earning points quickly. For every $1 you spend with the card, you’ll get 1.5 points back.
You can then use your card to pay for many travel essentials, like flights, hotels and baggage fees. Points can also be redeemed for takeout, which is especially convenient when you’re on the go at home or on vacation.
These aren’t the only benefits of this Bank of America card, though. When you use this credit card abroad, you’ll avoid pesky foreign transaction fees, which helps keep your traveling expenses low. Plus, if you spend $1,000 within your first 90 days of opening the card, you’ll automatically net 25,000 bonus points in your account.
3. Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card
If you have a lot of travel purchases to make shortly, it could be worth it to invest in a
Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card before you start shopping. When you spend $500 within the first six months of opening the card, you’ll have 20,000 points added to your account.
Earning and redeeming points is easy with this card, too. You’ll earn 1.25 miles, which is their version of points, for every dollar you spend. If you use this card for everyday purchases at the grocery store or gas station, you’ll earn enough points to help cover your travel costs in no time.
Capital One also has its own dedicated travel portal. When you book through there, your miles are worth more. Get five miles for each dollar you spend on rental cars and hotels when you book through Capital One Travel.
4. Wells Fargo Autograph Card
Do you need a credit card to help you pay for streaming services, phone plans, restaurants, transit or travel? If so, the Wells Fargo Autograph Card was designed with you in mind. You’ll earn 3x points for every purchase you make in one of those categories and one point per dollar for any other purchase.
When it’s time to redeem those hard-earned points, you’ll have a few options for how to do so. You can easily use your Wells Fargo Rewards to foot the bill for travel buys, or you can redeem your points for gift cards or on eligible purchases online.
If you sign up soon, you’ll reap the benefits of the card’s introductory bonus. When you spend $1,000 within your first three months, you’ll have 20,000 bonus points automatically deposited into your account.
5. Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card
The Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card is the first of three cards you can obtain with this airline, and it’s the only one without an annual fee. If you’re a frequent Delta flier and want to start reaping benefits from your loyalty, consider this introductory credit card.
Delta SkyMiles Blue gives you 10,000 welcome miles if you make $1,000 worth of purchases within your first six months with the card. From there, you’ll earn 2x points for each dollar you spend at a restaurant or with Delta. All other purchases receive points on a 1:1 basis.
This card comes with airline credit and travel perks, as well. You’ll get 20% back on any in-flight purchases you make with Delta, and you’ll avoid foreign transaction fees.
6. Hilton Honors American Express Card
Frequenters of Hilton properties will love this American Express card. Earn 7x points on resorts and hotels, 5x points on groceries, gas or when eating at restaurants in the United States, and get 3x points on all other expenses.
If you want to earn even more points, spend at least $2,000 on the card within your first six months of signing up. That way, you’ll be able to lock in American Express’ 100,000 bonus point promotion, which is only available for a limited time.
When you obtain this card, you’ll automatically be granted Hilton Honors Silver Status. You’ll also be exempt from paying foreign transaction fees, and you’ll have car rental loss and damage insurance for any vehicle you rent with this card.