Traveling is great, but let’s be honest. Things can get a bit expensive when we’re on a trip.
A lot of unplanned purchases can randomly pop up. Sometimes, there’s nothing you can do but roll with the punches. Fortunately, there is a way to get more value out of your money while increasing your spending power.
Let’s review the best travel credit card no annual fee. We’ll also be answering some of the questions our readers frequently ask to give you further information.
Best Travel Credit Card No Annual Fee
For your easy reference, we’ll be dividing this guide into various categories, namely General Travel, Hotel Rewards, Travel Insurance, Air Travel, and Students.
But before discussing each of them, here’s a table of summary to serve as your quick reference.
| Credit Card Name | Welcome Bonus | Intro APR | Regular APR | Rewards Rate | Recommended Credit Score |
| Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card | 25,000 online bonus points | 0% | 14.24% to 24.24% | Unlimited 1.5 points per dollar spent on all purchases | 690 to 850 |
| Chase Freedom Unlimited® | Additional 1.5% cash back | 0% | 15.24% to 23.99% | 1.5 to up to 6.5% cash back | 690 to 850 |
| Hilton Honors American Express Card | 80,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points | None | 15.99% to 24.99% | Three to seven times Hilton Honors Bonus Points | 670 to 850 |
| Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card | 30,000 bonus points | None | 16.24% to 23.24% | Up to 14 times total Bonvoy points per dollar spent | 690 to 850 |
| Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card | 20,000 miles | 0% | 15.24% to 25.24% | 1.25 to five times miles | 690 to 850 |
| Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card | 10,000 bonus miles | None | 15.99% to 24.99% | One to two times miles per dollar spent on eligible purchases | 690 to 850 |
| United Gateway℠ Card | 20,000 bonus miles | 0% | 16.74% to 23.74% | One to two miles per dollar spent on eligible purchases | 690 to 850 |
| Bank of America® Travel Rewards for Students Credit Card | 25,000 bonus miles | 0% | 13.99 to 23.99% | Unlimited 1.5 points per dollar spent on all purchases | 670 to 850 |
Best Travel Credit Card No Annual Fee for General Travel
1. Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card
The first category that we’ll talk about is general travel. We seek to feature credit cards that cover an average traveler’s expenses.
These include rental cars, gas stations, flights, hotel stays, and other related travel expenses.
We also recommend getting a no annual fee card that comes with many travel rewards and one that doesn’t come with foreign transaction fees.
We believe that the Bank of America Travel Rewards credit card covers all those essential features.
First of all, let’s talk about the sign up bonus. This card potentially comes with as many as 25,000 online bonus points as long as you hit the $1000 spending requirement within 90 days of account opening.
These points have a $250 value that can go towards your statement credit, and you can use them on your travel purchases.
The Bank of America Travel Rewards credit card also comes with a 0% APR that runs for 15 billing cycles. The regular, variable APR of 14.24 to 24.24% will then apply after this initial period.
Let’s now move on to the rewards. The usual rate is unlimited 1.5 points per dollar spent. This applies to all purchases.
This is already great, but what makes it even better is Bank of America’s Preferred Rewards program. If you’re a member, you can get up to 25% to 75% more points per dollar you’ve spent.
This gives you potential 2.62 points for every $1, regardless if it went to travel or dining purchases or from grabbing your supplies from your fave grocery stores.
You can then convert these points to their dollar value or treat them as travel credit.
In addition, the points that you earn through the Bank of America Travel Rewards credit card can go towards travel credit and other eligible purchases anytime for as long as your account is open. They don’t expire.
Lastly, you can make the most out of your money since this card doesn’t have a foreign transaction fee. The only fee you can expect is the 3% rate for balance transfers.
Key Features:
- Welcome Bonus: 25,000 online bonus points
- Intro APR: 0%
- Regular APR: 14.24% to 24.24%
- Rewards Rate: Unlimited 1.5 points per dollar spent on all purchases
- Recommended Credit Score: 690 to 850
Pros:
- Comes with 25,000 online bonus points
- 0% Intro APR
- Gives account-holders access to Bank of America’s Preferred Rewards program
- Flexible and unlimited chances to earn and redeem rewards
- No foreign transaction fees
Cons:
- Comes with a 3% balance transfer fee
- Best rewards are exclusive to certain customers
2. Chase Freedom Unlimited®
Another great card for general travel purposes is Chase Freedom Unlimited. It hits everything we want in a travel credit card.
It comes with a compelling welcome offer, a great rewards program (we’ll talk more about Chase Ultimate Rewards in a bit), and an intro APR, among other features.
Starting with the welcome bonus, the Chase Freedom Unlimited card comes with an additional 1.5% cash back in your first year (or up to $20,000 spent). This will apply to all of your swipes and not just your travel or dining purchases.
This intro offer is worth up $300 in cash back value.
Thanks to the Chase Ultimate Rewards program, the other intro rewards are impressive. You can get 6.5% cash back for travel purchases, 4.5% cash back on drugstore, dining, and other eligible purchases, and 3% on all of your other purchases.
You can accumulate these increased Chase Ultimate Rewards points in your first year (or up to $20,000 spent).
Once this period is over, the travel rewards will shift to their regular rate. There’s nothing average with their reward rates, though, since it will still come boosted thanks to Chase Ultimate Rewards.
We’re talking about 5% cash back on travel purchases, 3% cash bank on drugstore, dining, and other eligible purchases, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all of your other purchases.
On top of all that, it also comes with a 0% intro APR for the first 15 months after account opening. After the initial period, the regular, variable APR of 15.24 to 23.99% will then apply.
Where are you going to spend all these rewards, you ask? These rewards and cash back points can be enjoyed as a statement credit or as a direct deposit.
Chase accepts most U.S. savings and checking accounts. You can choose to put your travel rewards towards expenses on rental cars, grocery stores, gas stations一you name it.
This way, you can get more out of every dollar spent.
Next, let’s talk about fees. This travel rewards credit card doesn’t come with a foreign transaction fee, but it will charge you 3% for balance transfers.
Key Features:
- Welcome Bonus: Additional 1.5% cash back
- Intro APR: 0%
- Regular APR: 15.24% to 23.99%
- Rewards Rate: 1.5 to up to 6.5% cash back
- Recommended Credit Score: 690 to 850
Pros:
- Increased cash back rewards as a welcome bonus
- 0% intro APR
- Gives access to the Chase Ultimate Rewards program
- Rewards don’t expire
- No foreign transaction fees
Con:
- Comes with a 3% balance transfer fee
Best Travel Rewards Credit Card No Annual Fee for Hotel Rewards
3. Hilton Honors American Express Card
There are times when you’re looking for the best travel rewards credit card no annual fee, not just for general travel rewards. Instead, some need something more focused on a certain category, such as hotel accommodations.
Fortunately, that’s what the Hilton Honors American Express card has to offer.
Starting with the welcome bonus, this card will allow you to earn up to 80,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you meet the $1000 spending requirement on your card within three months of account opening.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t come with an intro APR so it might not be the best no annual fee card if you’re planning a big-ticket purchase sometime soon.
Don’t feel discouraged from getting this travel credit card, though, because you’ll definitely be missing out on all its other travel rewards.
These are seven times Hilton Honors Bonus Points per dollar spent on eligible travel purchases made within the Hilton portfolio; five times Hilton Honors Bonus Points per dollar spent on eligible purchases from grocery stores and gas stations; and three times Hilton Honors Bonus Points on other eligible purchases.
In addition, the Hilton Honors American Express card will come with a complimentary Hilton Honors Silver status.
You can even bump it up to a Hilton Honors Gold status if you can make $20,000 worth of eligible purchases until the end of the next calendar year.
Other benefits include no foreign transaction fees and access to the Amex Send & Split service. It’s a program that allows account-holders to get their rewards in the form of a statement credit or cash via Venmo or Paypal.
It’s too bad that the product description pages of the Hilton Honors American Express card don’t have any information on the rates of their balance transfers.
Regardless, the Hilton Honors American Express card is still the best for Hilton fans.
Key Features:
- Welcome Bonus: 80,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points
- Intro APR: None
- Regular APR: 15.99% to 24.99%
- Rewards Rate: Three to seven times Hilton Honors Bonus Points
- Recommended Credit Score: 670 to 850
Pros:
- Comes with exclusive Hilton and Amex rewards
- Comes with complimentary Hilton Honors Silver status
- Comes with different bonus spending categories
- $0 foreign transaction fee
Cons:
- Limited card information regarding fees
- No intro APR included
4. Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card
The Hilton Honors American Express card is definitely ideal for Hilton fans, but what about those fond of Marriott?
If that’s the case, then the Marriott Bonvoy Bold credit card will be ideal for you.
The welcome bonus starts with the possibility of earning up to 30,000 bonus points if you meet the $1000 required purchase spending within three months of account opening.
The travel rewards in store for Marriott Bonvoy fans are incredible. These include up to 14 times total Bonvoy points per dollar spent on participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels, two times Bonvoy points per dollar spent on eligible purchases, and one point per dollar spent on all your other purchases, whether these are travel purchases or not.
In addition, signing up for this travel rewards credit card will also get your 15 Elite night credits each year. This will definitely qualify you for Silver Elite status.
After earning these points, you can then easily redeem rewards to earn free nights.
The usual conversion rate for your accumulated travel credit is 5,000 points per night during the off-peak season. It is also possible to combine these points with cash.
If you find this card promising yet still quite lacking, we highly recommend checking out its higher levels.
For instance, the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless credit card gets you more points for combined purchases, including those spent on restaurants, grocery stores, and gas stations.
Meanwhile, the highest level, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express credit card, comes with a Gold Elite status and $300 worth of statement credit. It’s interesting to note that only the Marriott Bonvoy Bold comes with a zero annual fee.
Speaking of fees, there’s no need to worry about foreign transaction fees.
The downside to this card? It doesn’t come with an intro APR.
Key Features:
- Welcome Bonus: 30,000 bonus points
- Intro APR: None
- Regular APR: 16.24% to 23.24%
- Rewards Rate: Up to 14 times total Bonvoy points per dollar spent
- Recommended Credit Score: 690 to 850
Pros:
- Comes with 30,000 welcome bonus points
- Comes with increased Marriott Bonvoy rewards
- Includes Silver Elite status
- $0 foreign transaction fee
Cons:
- Lowest tier Marriott Bonvoy credit card
- Rewards can be quite focused and limited
- No intro APR
Best Travel Credit Card With No Annual Fee for Travel Insurance
5. Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card
You can never know what can happen during a trip, especially when it’s overseas. Hence, allow us to present you with the best travel credit card with no annual fee, including travel insurance.
The Capital One VentureOne Rewards credit card comes with two types of coverage.
The first is travel accident insurance. You only need to use your card to book your trip to become eligible.
The second is rental car coverage, which again will require you to use your card to book it.
Let’s move on to travel rewards. As a welcome bonus, you will get as much as 20,000 miles if you meet the spending requirement of $500 on all purchases within three months of account opening.
That is equivalent to $200 worth of travel credit.
In addition, those who will use their no annual fee card through Capital One Travel can earn five times the miles they would’ve earned otherwise.
It’s a portal where you’ll find travel products and services such as hotel accommodations and rental cars.
As for other eligible purchases, account holders of Capital One VentureOne Rewards credit cards can earn unlimited 1.25 times miles on every dollar spent, regardless of whether they are travel purchases, expenses made in gas stations, or random grocery items.
Don’t be afraid to accumulate your unlimited miles. There’s no limit to how much of them you can earn, how long until you redeem them, and where you want them reimbursed.
After all, one of the charms of this card is its redemption flexibility. You can use your travel credits on the Capital One Travel platform, transfer points to other partner loyalty programs, or even get it back in the form of a statement credit.
Have an upcoming big-ticket purchase? No problem.
This card comes with a 0% intro APR for the first 15 months upon account opening until its ongoing APR of 15.24 to 25.24% takes place.
This intro APR includes free balance transfer fees, which will also shift towards the regular rate after the intro period.
The only $0 fee that won’t run out is their foreign transaction fee.
Key Features:
- Welcome Bonus: 20,000 miles
- Intro APR: 0%
- Regular APR: 15.24% to 25.24%
- Rewards Rate: 1.25 to five times miles
- Recommended Credit Score: 690 to 850
Pros:
- Comes with 20,000 miles sign up bonus
- Flexible redemption
- 0% intro APR and free balance transfer fees
- $0 foreign transaction fee
- Includes travel accident and rental car coverage
Con:
- Rewards can be quite focused and limited
Best No Annual Fee Credit Cards for Air Travel
6. Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card
Finally, what’s a lineup of the best no annual fee credit cards without featuring those specifically designed to serve frequent fliers?
Thus, allow us to present our top two choices in this category next, starting with the Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express card.
This airline credit card will come with the chance to earn 10,000 miles as a welcome bonus. You’ll get them if you spend $500 within the first three months of account opening.
It might not seem like a lot compared to its competitors, but don’t worry, since they’ve made it easy to earn miles.
The rewards are two times the miles per dollar spent on Delta expenses, two times the miles per dollar spent on dining (dining in, takeout, and eligible delivery services worldwide), and a mile per dollar spent on other eligible purchases.
It’s easy to redeem these miles, especially for travel purchases. You can even use them as travel credit through Delta’s Pay with Milles program.
The redemption rate is 5,000 miles to get $50 off your flight.
In addition, you’ll get a 20% discount that will come in the form of a statement credit. You can take advantage of these savings for eligible travel purchases, such as in-flight dining and headsets while flying Delta.
Unfortunately, this travel credit card isn’t perfect.
Sure, like its competitors, this credit card will not come with foreign transaction fees, but balance transfers and baggage fees will apply.
Key Features:
- Welcome Bonus: 10,000 bonus miles
- Intro APR: None
- Regular APR: 15.99% to 24.99%
- Rewards Rate: One to two times miles per dollar spent on eligible purchases
- Recommended Credit Score: 690 to 850
Pros:
- Comes with 10,000 miles sign up bonus
- Allows access to exclusive Delta travel rewards and programs
- $0 foreign transaction fee
- Earn miles with both non-travel and travel purchases
Con:
- Comes with baggage fees
7. United Gateway℠ Card
If you don’t fly Delta, then maybe you fly United? Getting the United Gateway travel credit card is a fast way to earn bonus miles.
All you need to do is spend $1000 within three months of account opening, and you’ll get 20,000 miles.
Unlike other airline credit cards, what we like best about the United Gateway is it is very clear and specific in its reward categories.
It doesn’t just simplify the process of redeeming rewards, but it also makes earning them significantly easier.
These travel rewards include two miles per dollar spent on United, two miles per dollar spent at gas stations and local transportation, and a mile per dollar spent on other eligible purchases.
As part of the welcome bonus, this travel rewards credit card also comes with an intro APR of 0%.
This period lasts for a year after account opening before it shifts to the regular APR of 16.74 to 23.74%.
Now, let’s talk about fees. It doesn’t come with foreign transaction fees, but balance transfers will cost you $5 or 5% of the transfer amount (whichever costs higher).
Baggage fees are unfortunately included too. In addition, frequent travelers will be pleased to get 25% back as a statement credit on eligible purchases.
This credit card was specifically designed for people who love to move around.
You will be able to get rewards from flight and gas station expenses and have the peace of mind of getting travel-related insurance, including rental car protection一something that you don’t often see with airline cards.
Key Features:
- Welcome Bonus: 20,000 bonus miles
- Intro APR: 0%
- Regular APR: 16.74% to 23.74%
- Rewards Rate: One to two miles per dollar spent
- Recommended Credit Score: 690 to 850
Pros:
- Comes with 20,000 bonus miles
- Enjoy 25% back on travel and other eligible purchases as statement credit
- Earns you rewards for gas stations, flights, local transport, and other related purchases
- $0 foreign transaction fee
- Comes with various travel-related insurances
Cons:
- Comes with baggage fees
- Comes with balance transfer fees
- Rewards can be quite focused and limited
Best No Annual Fee Credit Cards for Students
8. Bank of America® Travel Rewards for Students Credit Card
We don’t know if you’ve noticed, but most travel credit cards are typically geared toward business owners.
There are not many options out there for young adults, especially those who have yet to build a decent credit score.
It’s easy to see why. After all, travel credit cards take a lot of investment to provide the level of rewards that people expect from them.
However, this doesn’t mean that there aren’t student options available. These credit card companies won’t fail to see the huge demand for them, and certainly not Bank of America.
The next card we’ll feature is the Bank of America Travel Rewards for Students credit card.
It is a travel credit card focused on two things: to give account-holders access to more travel rewards and an opportunity to increase their credit score in the process.
As such, you’ll notice that it offers more bonus points (25,000) with a lower spending requirement ($1000) and more time to meet it (90 days after account opening).
Once met, you can then redeem it for up to $250, which can go towards your statement credit and spent on travel purchases.
The intro APR of 0% for 15 billing cycles is also ideal for those planning to make big-ticket purchases, like a laptop or a couch.
After that, the regular, variable APR of 13.99 to 23.99% will then apply.
The rewards rate of this card isn’t that bad as well. It will let you earn unlimited 1.5 points for every dollar spent on all of your purchases (not just travel-related ones).
The premium benefit of this card is its features and programs dedicated to helping students manage their finances better and work on their credit scores.
To start, those who have yet to establish their credit scores can seek a co-signee.
You’ll also get notifications via email and SMS about account updates and upcoming due dates to make it easier for you to stay on top of things. In addition, you may choose to access your FICO score through Bank of America’s mobile app.
It is updated monthly, so you’re always accurately informed of how your credit score is improving.
Lastly, this card comes with no annual or foreign transaction fees.
In total, this card is a great way to manage your expenses better, earn points from doing so, and put these points towards your trip abroad (or trip home if you study overseas).
Key Features:
- Welcome Bonus: 25,000 bonus points
- Intro APR: 0%
- Regular APR: 13.99 to 23.99%
- Rewards Rate: Unlimited 1.5 points per dollar spent on all purchases
- Recommended Credit Score: 670 to 850
Pros:
- 25,000 bonus points included
- Great rewards rate that covers all purchases
- Accepts cosigners
- Has features to improve and manage credit score
- $0 foreign transaction fees
Con:
- Benefits are lacking compared to other travel credit cards
Choosing the Best Credit Card for Travel Rewards No Annual Fee
It’s not always easy to determine the best credit card for travel rewards with no annual fee. Decision paralysis is very real, especially when you have many options to choose from.
Hence, we have decided to simplify your hunt by sharing the best options under various categories. That’s not to say that there aren’t other cards out there, because there are.
By keeping the things we have shared with you in mind, we are confident that you will be able to find the one that best meets your needs and preferences in no time.
Best Credit Card for Travel Rewards No Annual Fee FAQs
You probably have an idea of the best credit card for travel rewards no annual fee to get.
However, before you do so, allow us to answer the most commonly asked questions to help you make a more informed decision.
1. Which bank credit card is best with no annual fee?
The answer depends on your needs and preferences. Any of the credit cards we have featured above provides this benefit.
However, these are not the only no annual fee cards out there. The ones we have featured above were simply those that are ideal for travelers.
Many others are designed for other target markets, including students, business owners, and frequent shoppers.
Since no credit cards are the same, we highly recommend setting your priorities first before searching for a zero annual fee card within this niche.
2. Is it worth having a travel card?
We have been featuring travel cards throughout this guide, but what are they, and is it really worth having one?
What is a travel credit card?
In a nutshell, a travel credit card is a reward card that allows you to earn miles and other point-type currency that you can later redeem for travel-related purchases.
You can even get free nights from your favorite hotels, fill up at gas stations, and enjoy free flights. Travel rewards credit cards also sometimes come with travel-related coverage.
Lastly, they also don’t typically charge foreign transaction fees, making them perfect for those who frequently find themselves abroad.
The benefits are clear, but here are other factors that you should also consider:
- The Intro Offer
People usually get this type of credit card before a big trip, so it will really help to get a welcome bonus. This way you can get more out of your money and even earn travel credit for your next trip.
The higher bonus points or miles you can earn with more time allotted for you to earn the spending requirement after account opening is always ideal.
- The Reward Rate
Another factor that you should definitely look into is the reward rate. How many miles will you be able to earn on travel purchases?
How about other eligible purchases? Will your card also give rewards on other expenses, such as those made in restaurants and grocery stores?
Sure, travel credit cards are geared towards certain purchase categories, but it wouldn’t hurt to be rewarded for every other dollar spent.
- Redemption
Once you have earned these rewards, the next question is how you’ll be able to redeem them.
Will you be able to gain access to other loyalty or reward platforms? Can you get these points in the form of cash backs?
Can they be put towards your statement credit or a direct deposit to other financial accounts?
- Other Fees
Finally, what other fees will you be able to waive with your preferred card?
Since this review is geared toward no annual fee travel cards, you can expect that these accounts won’t come with annual and foreign transaction fees.
What about balance transfers and other costs?
There are definitely many other things that you should consider before finally signing up for a card. Looking into the factors, we’ve shared with you above can definitely help make your experience more worthwhile.
3. Is it better to have no annual fee?
Most people will probably answer yes in a heartbeat, but the answer might not be as straightforward as you think.
Again, there are different factors to consider. First, what are the rewards or benefits you’re going for?
Please note that cards with annual fees typically come with high-value benefits.
Depending on your needs, there are times when you’ll be able to actually earn more from paying a small annual fee just because of the increased benefits, higher rewards, and lower transaction fees.
If that’s the case, it would be smart to compare your long-term savings with the card’s annual fee.
On the other hand, it will also depend on how often you plan to use the card. If you’re only getting a travel card for the occasional vacation, getting a no annual fee card will be great.
However, it might not be the smartest choice for frequent travelers since they usually come with smaller reward rates.
4. Which card is best for international travel?
Any of the cards we have featured above will serve you well overseas.
However, aside from the benefits, we have mentioned above, here are others that you might want to consider when shopping around for the best card to take on international trips:
- Waived Baggage Fees
One benefit that gets commonly overlooked is free checked luggage.
However, just imagine the potential savings you can get if one or two bags can get checked at no cost. That’s potentially $30 to $120 in savings for each round trip.
- Companion Pass
As the name suggests, it’s a benefit that can allow you to take another person on your trip without paying for another ticket, or at least its full price.
We are talking about hundreds of dollars of potential savings per trip.
- Special Access
If there’s one benefit that we really look into, that would be special access to otherwise exclusive platforms and spaces.
We’re not even talking about premium loyalty platforms online, but airline lounges, clubs, and other challenging places to get into unless you’re a recognized member.
In the end, the most crucial benefit remains to be zero foreign transaction fees.
Foreign transaction expenses can really pile up, especially if you’re planning to go abroad for an extended time.
The good news is that all of the no annual fee travel credit cards we have featured above comes with zero foreign transaction fees.
5. Should I use a credit card for flights?
Yes, we really think you should. Making all your travel bookings, even for flights, is a great idea as it comes with several benefits.
First, you’ll be able to earn rewards and miles that you could accumulate and spend on future trips. Second, it can also provide increased security when it comes to dealing with fraudulent activity.
Finally, you’ll be able to get more assistance when you’re faced with booking issues later on. For instance, did you know that you can file for a chargeback for eligible purchases if your chosen travel company files for bankruptcy and doesn’t issue a refund?
6. Can you use travel credit cards at home?
While there might be better-suited credit cards for you to consider, we can’t say that it’s impossible to use travel cards at home.
After all, you certainly can. Many credit cards let you earn great points for categories that can be considered “everyday expenses”, such as local transport, fill-ups at gas stations, and dining.
Even your trips to grocery stores can get rewarded if your credit card considers them part of their eligible purchases list.
Some travel credit cards also allow flexible redemption options. That means you can enjoy your points or miles in the form of a statement credit or direct deposit that you can then spend on non-eligible purchases.
The bottom line is, if you’re planning to use travel credit cards at home, then it will be ideal if it accommodates a lot of reward categories and let you earn some points per dollar spent一even on expenses beyond these categories.
7. Can you get rid of an annual fee on a credit card?
The short answer is no. There are three ways that credit cards can present their annual fee: they can set it on a fixed amount (which is the most common), set it to zero for a certain period of time, or set it to zero permanently.
However, please note that it’s almost always permanent when an issuer sets a method of getting (or waiving) an annual fee.
You will be charged for it yearly until you close the account.
