Last updated on November 3rd, 2022
Searching for the best travel credit cards for beginners? Here are the best travel credit cards this year.
One of the best ways to save money on traveling is by getting a travel credit card. But with so many options, it’s easy to get overwhelmed, especially if you’ve never had one. So, as someone who uses travel credit cards, I’m giving you the best travel credit cards for beginners.
You will learn about the best travel credit for students and beginners, those with no annual fees, and much more.
After reading this post, you’ll be more equipped to choose the perfect travel credit card for yourself!
This post is all about the best travel credit cards for beginners.
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read the full disclosure for more information.
Best Travel Credit Cards for Beginners
Overall Best Travel Credit Cards
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is one of the top travel credit cards for beginners. Cardholders enjoy loads of perks like cashback on everyday and travel purchases, no foreign transaction fees, and more.
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
- Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $750 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
- Earn up to $50 for hotel stays purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
- Earn 3x points on dining, online grocery purchases, and select streaming services. Plus, earn 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases.
- No foreign transaction fees
- Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance
- Baggage Delay Insurance
- Trip Delay Reimbursement
Annual Fee | APR | Credit Needed |
$95 | 18.24%-25.24% Variable APR | 690 – 850 |
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is another card that makes it easy to earn miles for travel. While this card has an annual fee, there are no foreign transaction fees and lots of other travel perks like Global Entry & TSA PreCheck.
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
- New Member Offer: Earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.
- Earn unlimited 2 miles per dollar on every purchase & unlimited 5 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
- Enjoy 2 complimentary lounge visits per year
- No Foreign Transaction Fees
- Travel Accident Insurance
- Receive up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs for more flexibility.
Annual Fee | APR | Credit Needed |
$95 | 18.99%-26.99% Variable APR | 690 – 850 |
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No Annual Fee Cards
Chase Freedom Unlimited
The Chase Freedom Unlimited credit card is the first on the list of travel credit cards with no annual fee. In addition, this card has a fabulous new member sign-on bonus and a low APR rate for the first 15 months.
Chase Freedom Unlimited
- New Member Offer: Earn a $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Plus, earn 5% cash back on grocery store purchases
- Earn 5% on travel expenses purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards.
- Earn 3% on dining at restaurants and drugstore purchases
- Cash Back rewards do not expire
- No annual fee
- Enjoy low APR: 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers
Annual Fee | APR | Credit Needed |
$0 | 17.24%-25.99% Variable APR | 690 – 850 |
Wells Fargo Autograph Card
The Wells Fargo Autograph Card is an excellent option for those looking for a card with no annual fee. This card is perfect for beginners & a fantastic way to build your credit, all while earning points (money) towards traveling.
Wells Fargo Autograph Card
- Earn 30,000 bonus points when you spend $1,500 in purchases in the first 3 months1 – that’s a $300 cash redemption value
- Earn unlimited 3x points on eligible purchases for all of the following: restaurants, travel, gas stations, streaming services, transit, and phone plans. And you can earn 1x on all other purchases.
- Cell phone protection: Get up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft when you pay your monthly cell phone bill with your eligible Wells Fargo card (subject to a $25 deductible). Terms apply.
- Zero Liability protection
Annual Fee | APR | Credit Needed |
$0 | 17.99%, 22.99%, or 27.99% Variable APR | 690 – 850 |
Hilton Honors American Express Card
The Hilton Honors American Express Card is an excellent choice for those that want Hilton perks without forking out an annual fee every year.
Cardholders enjoy high reward rates, no foreign transaction fees, and complimentary Hilton Honors Silver status.
Hilton Honors American Express Card
- Earn 100,000 Bonus Points after you spend $1,000 in purchases on the Hilton Honors Card in the first 3 months of Card Membership.
- Earn 7x Hilton Honors Bonus Points for eligible purchases at hotels and resorts in the Hilton portfolio.
- Earn 5x Hilton Honors Bonus Points for eligible purchases at U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and U.S. gas stations.
- Earn 3x Hilton Honors Bonus Points for all other eligible purchases on your card.
- Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance
- Enjoy complimentary Hilton Honors Silver status with your Card. Plus, spend $20,000 on eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year, and you can earn an upgrade to Hilton Honors Gold status through the end of the next calendar year.
- No foreign transaction fees
Annual Fee | APR | Credit Needed |
$0 | 18.74%-27.74% Variable APR | 690 – 850 |
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Best Travel Credit Cards for Students
If you’re planning your first study abroad trip (or if you travel frequently), getting a credit card might be an excellent way to save money. Plus, it’s a great way to build your credit.
Student credit cards are designed with the student in mind. As many students aren’t bringing in a considerable amount of income and often have new/low credit scores, student credit cards have lower credit limits. And they usually don’t have annual fees.
Student travel credit cards offer a huge variety of perks for travelers, such as:
- Airport lounge access
- Free baggage check
- Accident & emergency insurance
- Earnings or cash-back rewards on purchases, and much more.
Here are some of the best travel credit cards for students:
Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card for Students
The Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card for Students is thought to be one of the best ones out there. This card offers a sweet welcome bonus where you get extra points after you spend $1000 in the first 90 days.
Another perk that makes this card ideal for student travelers is that it doesn’t charge annual or foreign transaction fees.
Additionally, you can earn points for each eligible purchase, and they never expire! And you can use travel rewards to pay for travel and dining expenses.
Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card for Students
- Earn 25,000 online bonus points ($250 value) after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening
- Earn unlimited 1.5 points for every $1 you spend on all purchases everywhere
- No blackout dates or restrictions, and points never expire
- 0% introductory APR on new purchases and balance transfers for 18 billing cycles, then a variable APR applies
- No foreign transaction fees
Annual Fee | APR | Credit Needed |
$0 | 16.99% – 26.99% Variable APR | 690 – 850 |
Discover It® Student Cash Back Credit Card
The Discover It® Student Cash Back card is another popular option for students. This card offers a unique, rotating rewards program that can be used for travel-related purchases like gas and dining.
On top of that, the company provides a fantastic intro offer: Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year. And there’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards!
Discover It® Student Cash Back Credit Card
- Intro Offer: Discover will automatically match all your cash back earned at the end of your first year.
- Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter, like Amazon.com, grocery stores, restaurants, and gas stations. When you pay using PayPal, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases – automatically.
Annual Fee | APR | Credit Needed |
$0 | 15.99%-24.99% Variable APR | 630 – 689 |
Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card
The Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card is another excellent option for students. You can earn cash back on every purchase with no cap or reward expiration date.
Additionally, you can earn more cash back on purchases made on hotels and rental cars when you use Capital One Travel. Plus, there are no foreign transaction or annual fees, which is perfect for student travelers!
Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card
- Earn $100 when you spend $100 in the first three months.
- Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day.
- Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
- No foreign transaction or annual fees
- $0 Fraud Liability
Annual Fee | APR | Credit Needed |
$0 | 17.99%-27.99% Variable APR | 630 – 689 |
This post is all about the best travel credit cards for beginners.
Remember to subscribe to the newsletter below to keep up-to-date on the latest travel tips and inspiration!
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