The Travel Credit Cards That Take You Farther in 2025

The right travel card can make every trip feel like an upgrade. Perks like free flights, airport lounge access, and no foreign transaction fees can add up fast, but only if they fit how you actually travel.

We compared this year’s leading travel credit cards to see which ones offer the best mix of rewards, benefits, and overall value for 2025.

Card	Annual Fee	Best For	Pros	Cons
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Best Overall ★★★★½ Strong travel and dining rewards with flexible transfer partners.	$95	All-around travelers who want high rewards and flexibility	Excellent travel portal, strong transfer partners, solid insurance coverage	No airport lounge access; best value only if you redeem through partners
American Express® Gold Card Best for Dining & Everyday Rewards ★★★★½ Earns big on dining and U.S. supermarkets, plus solid travel perks.	$325	Food lovers and frequent travelers	4x on dining and groceries, monthly credits, strong reward value	High annual fee, statement credits require activation and tracking
Chase Sapphire Reserve® Best for Luxury Travel ★★★★★ Premium benefits and credits offset a high annual fee if you travel often.	$550	Frequent flyers and business travelers	Priority Pass lounges, 3x points on travel and dining, $300 travel credit	High annual fee; benefits overlap with other premium cards
Capital One Venture Rewards Best for Simple Redemptions ★★★★ Straightforward flat-rate earning with flexible redemption options.	$95	Travelers who want simplicity and value	2x on everything, no categories to track, solid transfer partners	Basic travel protections; limited luxury perks
Bilt Mastercard® Best for Renters ★★★★ Earn points on rent payments — a rare perk with no annual fee.	$0	Renters who travel occasionally	No annual fee, 1x on rent, strong transfer partners (Hyatt, American Airlines)	Requires 5 transactions/month to earn points; no sign-up bonus

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Best Overall

★★★★½

Annual Fee: $95

Best For: All-around travelers

Pros: Excellent transfer partners, strong travel rewards, insurance coverage

Cons: No lounge access; must use transfer partners for max value

American Express® Gold Card Best for Dining & Everyday Rewards

★★★★½

Annual Fee: $325

Best For: Dining and groceries

Pros: 4x on dining and groceries, monthly credits, travel perks

Cons: High fee; requires tracking credits

Chase Sapphire Reserve® Best for Luxury Travel

★★★★★

Annual Fee: $550

Best For: Frequent flyers

Pros: Lounge access, 3x on travel/dining, $300 travel credit

Cons: High fee; overlapping benefits

Capital One Venture Rewards Best for Simple Redemptions

★★★★

Annual Fee: $95

Best For: Travelers who want simplicity

Pros: 2x on everything, easy redemptions

Cons: Fewer luxury perks

Bilt Mastercard® Best for Renters

★★★★

Annual Fee: $0

Best For: Renters earning points

Pros: 1x on rent, strong transfer partners, no fee

Cons: Must make 5 monthly transactions; no welcome bonus

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Editor’s Take: Not all travel cards are worth the hype. The key is matching your habits to the card’s ecosystem. If you fly a few times a year, pick one with flexible transfer partners. If you’re loyal to one airline, skip flexibility and double down on elite status instead.

Choosing the right travel credit card in 2025 comes down to how you actually travel.

If you want simplicity, the Capital One Venture keeps earning easy.

If you’re all about premium perks, the Chase Sapphire Reserve or Amex Platinum (not listed here) will give you lounge access and annual travel credits worth hundreds.

And if you just want to turn everyday rent payments into points, Bilt remains one of the most unique no-fee cards on the market.

Pro tip: always check your effective annual fee after credits: a $325 card with $300 in credits might cost less than one with a $95 fee.

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All picks featured in this comparison were independently researched and meet the Basically.co Verified Standard for accuracy, transparency, and usability.