Travel credit cards or travel rewards credit cards are cards which benefit a traveler in terms of earning him free travel, achieving elite membership with airlines and hotels and similar travel-related perks when used. Though they can be used to get cash back, travel rewards cards are more effective when used to collect and redeem travel points.

Travel rewards credit cards enable you to save money on airfare, stay and transportation.

Travel rewards cards are of three kinds. The first two are airline and hotel cards which are issued by a particular brand or company and get you into their loyalty membership club. They reward all kinds of spending but you can redeem your points only with them and not with any other brand. Airline credit cards have perks like priority boarding, reduced or no baggage fees, discounted or complimentary access to airport lounges, and concessions on in-flight spending. Airline credit cards offer spending rewards and a cheaper, yet more comfortable flying experience. They also help you save money by giving sizeable points for signing up, waiving your foreign transaction fees and either doubling or tripling the miles you earn on airline and air travel-related purchases. Hotel credit cards offer bet benefits like free overnight stay and special status. They offer you perks like having a room available anytime you travel, getting complimentary upgrades, having memberships at discounts, and getting priority check-ins. You also get one-time sign-up bonuses assuming you spend a specified amount of money in a specified period of time. Some hotels cards don’t charge an annual fee; some don’t charge a foreign transaction fee, some provide insurance that includes lost baggage coverage, reimbursement for delays, and car rental protection. Some hotel cards offer the benefit of having your points transferred to your airline card, assuming the hotel and airline are in a partnership.

The third kind is general travel cards that reward all kinds of purchases at a lower rate but whose points can be redeemed across several brands of airline or hotel loyalty programs depending on whether or not the card issuer has secured a partnership with them. They offer flexibility and value to the user. If you are not loyal to a particular airline or hotel, this card gives you the flexibility you need without having to worry about blackout dates or travel restrictions. It is an attractive option because you can redeem points towards statement credits or cash back.

The travel rewards card is advantageous in that it provides best better point valuations, substantial redemptions, excellent travel perks and does not charge foreign transaction fees. However, it will be wise to consider the high costs it incurs in terms of purchase interest rates and the restrictions it imposes, which might cost you time and energy before you choose to buy one.

The best travel rewards card is possibly Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card because of the benefits it offers for big travel spending and sizeable sign-up bonus it has in store. The best travel rewards cards include Bank of America BankAmericard Travel Rewards Credit Card which is good for low travel spending, offers a sign-up bonus and has no annual fee. Barclaycard Arrival Plus World Elite MasterCard which is good for flat rate travel rewards and offers a sign up bonus, Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card which is the best one for loyalty airline rewards and offers a sign up bonus, Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card from American Express which also is good for loyalty hotel rewards and offers a sign up bonus, and Chase Marriott Rewards Premier Credit Card which offers loyalty hotel rewards too along with a hefty sign up bonus.

Chase Sapphire Reserve offers the best premium travel credit card with its rewards points of 3 for travel and dining purchases and 1 for every other purchase which is worth 1.25 cents each when redeemed. Bank Americard Travel Rewards is considered the best no fee travel credit card with its no annual fee, no foreign transaction fee, offer of 1.5 points for every dollar spent, and 1% award towards travel statement credit. Barclaycard Arrival Plus World Elite MasterCard is considered the best chip and pin travel credit card that enables you to withdraw cash from any ATM globally; Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card from American Express is brand specific and considered the best hotel rewards credit card. It has a sign-up bonus of 25,000 points for the first $3,000 spent with the annual fee of $95 waived the first year.