We’ve simplified things with our “Best Of” rankings for best travel credit offers for travel rewards. If you don’t have time to research cards, take advantage of our expertise! Travel Freely is here to help you with the best travel credit card offers. Need a primer on Rewards Cards? Sign up for Travel Freely (for free), check out Rewards Cards 101, or jump into why this rewards travel card is our #1 recommended card.
Don’t Let Offers Disappear – We’ve seen a LOT of offers come and go. Some offers have clear expiration dates, and others just vanish without warning. My advice: If you are ready for another card, and you know the card you want… Don’t delay!
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If this is your first time to our best offers page, it is so easy to travel for free! Please read our “How to Get Started” Travel Freely strategy overview so you can know our secret approach to earning tons of points and miles in no time.
Best Travel Credit Card Highlights for September 2024
🔥 Move over, Ink Business Preferred®! There’s a NEW #1 Business Card in Town!
The Chase Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card has a huge offer for being a no annual fee card. Earn 90,000 points (or $900 cash back) after spending $6,000 in the first 3 months. For more info, check out the Chase Ink Unlimited Complete Guide, or compare all Inks here. The Chase Ink Preferred has a similar 90,000 points offer, but requires $8,000 in spending in the first 3 months. Note: The Chase Ink Unlimited card is marketed by Chase as cash back, but you actually earn points that can be redeemed for Travel, Gift Cards, Cash, etc. The signup bonus will earn 90,000 points. It’s your choice to convert points to cash or use for travel.”
Just got an Ink card with an elevated offer? Here’s some strategy. Many of you recently took advantage of the big Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card and Ink Business Cash® Credit Card offers. If you have one of the no-annual fee Ink cards and don’t have any other Chase Ultimate Rewards earning cards, you’ll want to think about either the Chase Sapphire Preferred® card (personal card) or the Chase Ink Business Preferred®. You can pool your points together. But, the biggest reason to get one of these cards is because the Ink Cash and Ink Unlimited cards do not have access to Chase transfer partners or a boost in the Chase Travel℠ portal. You must have a Chase Sapphire Preferred (or Reserve) personal card or a Chase Ink Preferred to use transfer partners. Also, if you plan on using the Chase Travel portal, then the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Ink Preferred give you a 25% boost when paying with points! Read more on Chase Ultimate Rewards and best strategies here.
New to business cards? It’s VERY important to realize that sole proprietorships (businesses that have no official registration) are eligible for these cards! Here are our resources for those new to business cards: Am I Eligible for a Business Credit Card?; How to Apply for a Business Credit Card (with Tax ID as EIN or SSN); Travel Freely Small Business Guide.
Taking a Look at the Capital One Venture Cards
Offer ends 9/9/24! Additional $250 Capital One Travel Credit for Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card One of the most beginner-friendly cards (if you can get approved) is out with a new offer. The Venture card ($95 annual fee version) now has a 75,000 miles offer for $4,000 spend within 3 months + an additional $250 Capital One Travel credit. It’s definitely worth checking out if you’ve been interested in this card, which earns 2 “miles” per dollar spent. Learn more about the offer here. For more reading, see Why Capital One Venture Miles are Great. Important note on Venture applications: Based on our experience, the approval process for regular Venture cards can be very unpredictable. Many Travel Freely members with “Excellent” credit scores, who are typically well-qualified, often do not get approved at the same rate as they do for other cards. In contrast, those with “Good” credit scores seem to have an easier time getting approved. Therefore, approvals for this card can be hard to predict. For those with excellent credit, we have found that the odds of approval are significantly higher with the more premium Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card.
If you have been eyeing this card, the “ultra-premium” Capital One Venture X card is unique in the Capital One portfolio. While it has a high annual fee, the math easily works out in favor of getting the card. Check out our complete breakdown of this card. With a $300 travel portal credit, lounge access, and 2x “miles” on all purchases, it’s a no-brainer card to keep in your wallet. With the current sign-up bonus of 75,000 miles after $4,000 spend in 3 months, you’ll end up with 83,000 Capital One miles that are very flexible and easy to use.
Elevated Southwest Business Cards
Last Call! Offer ends 9/17/24 at 7am ET. For a limited time, the Southwest business cards now feature game-changing offers, making them essential for anyone aiming to attain the Southwest Companion Pass. Both the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Business and Southwest Rapid Rewards® Performance Business cards offer a tiered bonus structure where you can earn up to 120,000 Rapid Rewards Points. For the Performance Business card, you can earn up to 120,000 Rapid Rewards Points: 80,000 for $5,000 spend in the first 3 months; and an additional 40,000 points after $15,000 total spend in the first 9 months. The Premier Business card gets you up to 120,000 Rapid Rewards Points: 60,000 after $3,000 spend in the first 3 months; and an additional 60,000 after $15,000 total spend in the first 9 months.
These exceptional offers not only make these business cards highly attractive for frequent travelers but also strategically position them for acquiring the Southwest Companion Pass. Typically, we recommend securing the Companion Pass early in the year, but these offers provide an opportunity to earn the Pass for up to 1.5 years (depending on your spending timeline) with just one card. Be sure to review our article on the benefits of the Southwest Companion Pass to explore your eligibility for a business card.
Best Travel Credit Card Offers
At Travel Freely, we are all about maximizing great sign-up bonuses with the best travel rewards credit cards. Our approach is to get the most points in the least amount of time. Sign-up bonuses are the #1 way to rack up points WITHOUT traveling or spending a lot of money. Some people get more rewards in one bonus than they would in an entire year’s worth of spending on the same old card they’ve had for 5 years. Check out the BEST deals here.
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- Overall #1 Travel Credit Card for Beginners: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (60,000 points)
- Best “No-Thinking” Card: Offer ends 9/9/24! Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card (75,000 miles + $250 Capital One Travel credit) or Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card (75,000 miles)
- Best No Annual Fee Card: Chase Freedom Unlimited®
- Overall Best Business Travel Card: New Offer! Chase Ink Business Unlimited (90,000 points) or Chase Ink Business Preferred (90,000 points)
- Best No Annual Fee Business Travel Card: New Offer! Chase Ink Business Unlimited (90,000 points) or Chase Ink Business Cash
- Best Stay-at-Home, Travel Later Card: American Express® Gold Card
- Best Airline Business Card: Offer ends 9/17/24 at 7am ET: Chase Southwest Performance ( up to 120,000 miles) or Chase United Business (75,000 miles)
- Best Hotel Personal Card: American Express Hilton Honors Surpass Card or Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card
- Best Hotel Business Card:IHG® Rewards Premier Business Credit Card or World of Hyatt Business Card (up to 75,000 points)
- Best Cash Back Personal Card: Chase Freedom Unlimited® or Citi Double Cash® Card
- Best Travel Card for 3x on Gas, Grocery, and Dining: Citi Strata Premier ℠ Card
- Best Ultra-Premium Card: The Platinum Card® from American Express or Chase Sapphire Reserve (60,000 points) or Capital One Venture X
- Best Premium Hotel Card: Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® (185,000 points) or American Express Hilton Honors Aspire
- Best Ultra-Premium Business Card: The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
- Best Card for College Students/Grads: Citi Rewards+ Student Card; Chase Freedom Student; Discover It Student; or Deserve Edu
- Best Personal Cards for Carrying a Balance: Amex Blue Cash Everyday, or Citi Double Cash® Card
- Best Business Cards for Carrying a Balance: Chase Ink Business Unlimited or Chase Ink Business Cash
- Best Travel Cards for Carrying a Balance: Chase Freedom Unlimited®or Citi Rewards+(20,000 points)
- Best Personal Balance Transfer: Citi Diamond Preferred® or Citi Double Cash® Card
New to Travel Freely? Need a Refresher? Here are Beginner Mini Webinars:
Learn why Travel Freely strategy is the easiest and most effective. Check out these mini webinars to learn your best strategy. Feel free to share with others who could use a huge boost to their travel budget.
Amazing Offers on Chase Business Cards
🔥 Exciting new limited time offer for a card with no annual fee! A no-brainer, great business card. Your choice to receive 1.5% cash back or 1.5x points. 
75,000 90,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in the first 3 months.
With its latest elevated offer, the Chase Ink Business Unlimited card is now the best card among the Chase business cards. An all-round great cash back business card with no annual fee. It’s very simple. You earn unlimited 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases. This can be a great standalone card, but it is a excellent companion card to the Ink Business Preferred, Sapphire Reserve or Sapphire Preferred!
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- Earn 1.5X rewards on Everything
- No Annual Fee
One of the very best business cards. A highly recommended business card for an incredible signup bonus and 3X categories.
This card has a great sign-up bonus and 3X categories. It’s hard to beat this Chase Ink card. Especially when you’re looking for an all-around business card that has flexible redemption options. Also, it can be combined with your personal Chase Ultimate Rewards points. Learn more about this card with our Chase Ink Business Preferred Complete Guide.
- Earns 3X rewards on travel, shipping, internet, cable, phone, and advertising with social media sites (up to $150K spend per year)
- Points worth 25% more when redeemed for travel
- Cell phone protection against theft or damage
- No foreign transaction fees
Great signup bonus for a business card with no annual fee, now with an extended timeline for hitting the spend requirement. Great for carrying a balance. 5x earning categories, and if paired with a premier Chase credit card (one that carries an annual fee), your points are worth even more. 
Incredible signup bonus for a no-fee card. An excellent companion to the Ink Preferred, personal Sapphire Reserve or Sapphire Preferred. Like the personal Sapphire cards, this card earns valuable Chase Ultimate Rewards. As of 3/21/24, this card has a new multi-tiered offer where the points amount on the offer has not changed, but the spending required to hit the bonus has become significantly more achievable for many people. You now have 6 months to meet the spending requirement, where previously you only had 3 months.
- Earn 5X rewards (on first $25k spent) for phone, TV, internet, and office supply stores.
- Earn 2X rewards on gas and restaurants
- No Annual Fee
| Card | Sign-up Bonus | Spending Required | Annual Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ink Preferred | 90,000 | $8,000 in first 3 months | $95 |
| Ink Cash | up to 75,000 | 35,000 for $3,000 in first 3 months; add’l 40,000 for $6,000 total in first 6 months | $0 |
| Ink Unlimited | 90,000 | $6,000 in first 3 months | $0 |
Read: How to Apply for a Business Credit Card
Our Top Recommendations for carrying a balance
If you’re looking to carry a balance, think about the Citi Diamond Preferred World Mastercard. The next best option would be the Citi Double Cash Card. Note: You will not earn rewards for the balance transfers. Make sure to check terms when applying.
For great introductory offers, check out the Amex Blue Cash Everyday or Chase Freedom Unlimited because they also have a welcome bonus.
Now with a signup bonus! A great complement to the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card.
In addition to the welcome offer you receive after meeting the minimum spend requirement, you'll also receive 10% back as a statement credit on purchases made at restaurants worldwide within the first 6 months of card membership (up to $150 back). Definitely worth considering if you're looking for a cash-back card, as you'll earn 3% cash back on several credit cards. Cash back is received in the form of reward dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit. Terms apply.
With the current offer, you'll now earn a total of 4.5x on dining (including takeout and eligible delivery services), 4.5x on drugstores, 6.5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, and 3x on everything else for the first year, up to $20,000. This special offer is best for those who have a healthy amount of monthly spending on dining and general expenses.
Best Business Cards for Carrying a Balance
🔥 Exciting new limited time offer for a card with no annual fee! A no-brainer, great business card. Your choice to receive 1.5% cash back or 1.5x points.
What’s Our Criteria for the Best Cards?
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- Value of points – Not all points and miles have the same value when it comes time to redeeming them. We take this seriously when helping you with the best credit cards with travel rewards.
- Bonuses – Travel Freely seeks to maximize sign-up bonuses, so if great sign-up bonus offers come out, those cards will move up in the rankings.
- Type of Card – We value airline cards higher than hotel cards because airfare never goes on sale (whereas hotel sites can get you almost 50% retail rates). So airfare is the highest value in free travel. So, if we see airlines and hotel cards as similarly great deals, the airline card will get the edge in the rankings.
- Bonus spending requirement – We rank cards lower that require major spending as part of sign-up bonus. For example: Some cards offer 50,000 points if you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months, but then they’ll offer an add’l 25,000 points if you spend $10-15k in additional spending over the course of the year. This is considered major spending to us and we do not factor that in for the normal free traveler.
- Ease-of-use – Factors such as customer service and redemption fees play a factor in our rankings. We don’t want you to spend hours on the phone with poorly trained, off-shore customer service when you have a question about your card. Avoiding ridiculous fees for redeeming free travel are also important to us. For example: Frontier – You might get a “free flight” on Frontier Airlines with 20,000 points. But, you have to spend a reward redemption fee, bag fee for carry-on or checked luggage, and a seat booking fee. You might spend $96 in fees for a “free” $110 flight!
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