Best cards for travel

Updated September 24, 2026 · from RightCard's verified card and merchant data

Chase Sapphire Reserve has the highest verified everyday travel value from any issuer in our data: 3x points (about 5.4¢ per dollar toward travel). Ink Business Preferred Credit Card ties it on value.

Travel rates from every issuer we have verified, valued honestly: transferable points at 1.7–2¢, airline miles at 1.1–1.4¢, hotel points well under a cent. Portal-only rates are not counted as everyday travel.

Verified travel rates

Everyday rates only. No limited-time offers, no welcome bonuses. Ranked by value per dollar, not by the biggest multiplier.

Card	Travel	≈ value / $1
Chase Sapphire Reserve	3x points	5.4¢
Ink Business Preferred Credit Card	3x points	5.4¢
Citi Premier Card	3x points	4.8¢
Citi Strata Premier Card	3x points	4.8¢
Autograph Journey Card	3x points	4.5¢
Citi/AAdvantage Globe card	3x points	4.2¢
Altitude Connect Visa Signature Credit Card	4x points	4¢
Altitude Go Visa Signature Credit Card	4x points	4¢
Aeroplan Credit Card	3x miles	3.9¢
Chase Sapphire Preferred	2x points	3.6¢

Value column: cash at face value; points at conservative per-program estimates (Chase Ultimate Rewards 1.8¢, Citi ThankYou Points 1.6¢, Wells Fargo Rewards 1.5¢, American AAdvantage 1.4¢, Aeroplan 1.3¢, fixed-value miles 1¢) toward travel. Cash out and most points are worth 1¢ or less. RightCard lets you flip between the two.

Live this quarter (rotating bonus)

These windows are in our verified data today. They expire, and they need activation where noted.

Discover it Student Cash Back: 5% through September 30, 2026. Activation required.

The part people miss

The bonus follows the store's merchant code, not the sign on the door. Superstores and warehouse clubs are the common trap for grocery. Hotel restaurants and stadium concessions are the usual traps for dining. When the code does not match, the purchase earns the base rate, and no app can change that.

How RightCard handles this: add your cards and the travel tile on Home shows the one card that wins, including this quarter's rotating bonus and your bank offers. The app is free and private. No bank login. Recommendations are computed on your phone.

Get RightCard on the App Store

FAQ

Which credit card is best for travel?

Chase Sapphire Reserve has the highest verified everyday travel value from any issuer in our data: 3x points (about 5.4¢ per dollar toward travel). Ink Business Preferred Credit Card ties it on value.

Why is a card I know missing?

Only cards whose rates two independent sources agreed on are listed. Missing means unverified, not worse.

Are welcome bonuses counted?

No. These are everyday rates. A welcome bonus is a one-time event and the part every affiliate ranking is paid to sell.

Where these numbers come from: RightCard's data pipeline re-checks each card's published rates weekly and lists a rate only after two independent sources agree. Merchant codes come from our merchant directory. If a card or store is missing here, it is because we could not verify it, not because we guessed.

More guides: Costco rewards guide · Walmart rewards guide · Freedom Flex 5% calendar · Best cards for online shopping · Best card for H-E-B