Need opinion on travel card

[Kw76]

What is the best travel card to get? I am a moderate traveler. Looking for the best bang for my buck. I don’t mind paying a annual fee.

I was eyeing up Cap 1 Venture card and Discover It miles . But I am hearing mixed reviews on both. Looking for a decent starting line also.

Thanks in advance

790-815. Fico
183k income

[longtimelurker]

You will need to define what you mean by a travel card.   Both Venture and Discover IT Miles are really cashback cards with the Venture restricted to travel redemptions for best value.

"Real" travel cards earn points that can be transferred to a frequent traveler program of an airline/hotel, either restricted to one program (e.g. Barclays American Airline cards) or with a set of programs (e.g. Chase UR/Amex MR/Citi TYP) and may offer discounts on travel purchased with reward points.

Which card is the "best" depends on lots of factors, what sort of travel (hotel/airline), domestic/international, "class" (for flight, economy,business, first), where you want to go and for airlines, what is your home airport.

[wasCB14]

Any favorite hotel or airline loyalty programs? Luxury or economy travel? Favored airports?

[Anonymous]

If you're not hung up with a certain hotel chain and airline chain, both cards you've identified are good choices.  I have the Venture and Barclaycard Arrival Plus.  Both have sign-up bonuses currently and earn 2 miles/dollar spent.  Alternatively, if you aren't scared of annual fees you should take a look at Chase Sapphire Preferred or Reserve, and US Bank Altitude Reserve.  Your FICO scores and income will aid you greatly in approval and higher than normal SL.  Good luck!

[longtimelurker]

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@Anonymous wrote:

If you're not hung up with a certain hotel chain and airline chain, both cards you've identified are good choices.  I have the Venture and Barclaycard Arrival Plus.  Both have sign-up bonuses currently and earn 2 miles/dollar spent.  Alternatively, if you aren't scared of annual fees you should take a look at Chase Sapphire Preferred or Reserve, and US Bank Altitude Reserve.  Your FICO scores and income will aid you greatly in approval and higher than normal SL.  Good luck!

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But there is no point keeping the Venture after the first year, unless you can get the AF waived.

[RicHowe]

I have Delta Amex Platinum. A/F $195
SUB of 70k SkyMiles

Amex Platinum. A/F $550
SUB 60k Membership Rewards Points

Both work together to help pay for:
Flights
Rental Cars
Hotels (Automatic Gold Status at Hilton, Marriott and SPG Programs)

[pipeguy]

Once upon a time I traveled for business and carried different cards (AmEx Plat, Original Diners Club, etc), but today I might fly once a year and use hotels 4-6 times a year so brand specific cards for hotels and airlines don't really do me much good today. Personally, I use the BoA Travel (blue one) for travel, no AF and $200 sign up bonus, plus first 12 months are 0% APR.  I also refuse to pay an AF for cards today.

Truth in lending - I'm a sucker for sign up cash back and 0% APR intro cards, but I still think its a decent card as a basic travel card. I don't have the time or attention span to shuffle all my cards for every last penny or points as far as which card pays the absolute most everywhere I use a card. 

[Anonymous]

I'm liking the Amex Blue Cash Awards for travel. I've taken advantage of some of the hotel offers like spend $150 get $30 back. And, I always end up at a grocery store whether in another state or 3 hours from home so the 3% cashback for that and 2% for gas is decent. I'm not a frequent flyer enough to care about miles.