topic Re: Best Travel Card with NO ANNUAL FEE in Credit Cards

Best Travel Card with NO ANNUAL FEE

Live4Fishing — Fri, 02 Jan 2026 17:31:44 GMT

Hello myFICO patriots. I'm only a moderate level traveler (mostly hotels, flights every couple years). For that reason, I only have no AF cards with the exception of the Chase Sapphire Preferred (which is too good to cancel). Was wondering what is the best no annual fee travel cards you recommend. Thank You in advance !

Re: Best Travel Card with NO ANNUAL FEE

odd_dog — Fri, 02 Jan 2026 18:27:18 GMT

I like US Bank Altitude Connect.....check it out....

Re: Best Travel Card with NO ANNUAL FEE

Live4Fishing — Fri, 02 Jan 2026 18:49:12 GMT

@odd_dog wrote:
I like US Bank Altitude Connect.....check it out....

Thanks ! I'll definitely check it out

Re: Best Travel Card with NO ANNUAL FEE

ElvisCaprice — Fri, 02 Jan 2026 20:29:19 GMT

The best no annual fee travel card is no travel card, but a combination of NO FTF cash back cards. You setup the ones that fit your spend while abroad. Every 2 years? More like an infrequent traveler, like myself. Churn your preferred airline CC for the miles SUB.

Re: Best Travel Card with NO ANNUAL FEE

Varsity_Lu — Fri, 02 Jan 2026 23:57:26 GMT

Not a travel card per se but the Fidelity Rewards Visa reimburses for Global Entry, has no FTF, gives 2% on all purchases, provides car rental insurance, and is a Visa Sig. Not too shabby.

Re: Best Travel Card with NO ANNUAL FEE

wingennis — Sat, 03 Jan 2026 00:04:31 GMT

If you are eligible, the PenFed Pathfinder can be $0 annual fee and will cover Global Entry as well as providing a $100 airline credit each year. I have no value for the points but I appreciate having the card as a back-up plan.

Re: Best Travel Card with NO ANNUAL FEE

FicoMike0 — Sat, 03 Jan 2026 00:23:37 GMT

I too have the connect. I'm also an infrequent traveller. I use the card for 4% on gas. I like the ability to use points directly for amazon purchases. No ftf would be good for foreign travel.

I'll admit, I got the card for a $500 sub.

Re: Best Travel Card with NO ANNUAL FEE

FicoMike0 — Sat, 03 Jan 2026 00:35:54 GMT

I tried the pathfinder too. They turned me down with a fico9 of 850, lol! Too many recent accounts.

Re: Best Travel Card with NO ANNUAL FEE

Varsity_Lu — Sat, 03 Jan 2026 00:55:47 GMT

@odd_dog wrote:
I like US Bank Altitude Connect.....check it out....

Does it still give Priority Pass access?

Re: Best Travel Card with NO ANNUAL FEE

FrankenBeans — Sun, 04 Jan 2026 06:08:09 GMT

Wells Fargo Autograph has been good to me along with the Citi Strata (altho, it does have a FTF).

I got the Autograph before a 3 month trip to Europe, and it gets 3x points on just about everything (except groceries) and 0% interest for the first year. It also has phone insurance. No FTFs. They're not as generous with the CLIs as Citi.

I also have the Strata Premier, and I've used it a lot. It gets 3x on groceries, so that's been handy. The Strata Premier doesn't have FTFs, but it does have $95 annual fee. I've had this card for a few years, and I use it a lot. I like that Citi has Turkish Airlines as a transfer partner.

I got both of these cards during elevated SUB offers. Neither card is running an elevated bonus at the moment.

Re: Best Travel Card with NO ANNUAL FEE

Janneman — Sun, 04 Jan 2026 13:45:31 GMT

@odd_dog wrote:
I like US Bank Altitude Connect.....check it out....

This card has AF after a year....

Re: Best Travel Card with NO ANNUAL FEE

Janneman — Sun, 04 Jan 2026 13:49:19 GMT

@Live4Fishing wrote:
Hello myFICO patriots. I'm only a moderate level traveler (mostly hotels, flights every couple years). For that reason, I only have no AF cards with the exception of the Chase Sapphire Preferred (which is too good to cancel). Was wondering what is the best no annual fee travel cards you recommend. Thank You in advance !

Depends on exactly what you are looking for in a travel card...like no foreign transaction fee, travel insurance, reimbursement for TSA fee for their programs, points/miles, etc....

Re: Best Travel Card with NO ANNUAL FEE

Janneman — Sun, 04 Jan 2026 13:53:12 GMT

@Varsity_Lu wrote:
Not a travel card per se but the Fidelity Rewards Visa reimburses for Global Entry, has no FTF, gives 2% on all purchases, provides car rental insurance, and is a Visa Sig. Not too shabby.

Fidelity Rewards Visa would reimburses only $60; while Global Entry fee is $120 now. However, if you have any deposits account with Fidelity including investment account then you could be able to get reimbursed for $100 at most which is still short of $20, but I believe this is the only non-AF card that reimburses TSA fee, even if partially.

Re: Best Travel Card with NO ANNUAL FEE

Janneman — Sun, 04 Jan 2026 13:54:43 GMT

There might be other non-AF cards which takes care of TSA fees...

Re: Best Travel Card with NO ANNUAL FEE

swankytiger — Sun, 04 Jan 2026 14:41:38 GMT

@Janneman wrote:
There might be other non-AF cards which takes care of TSA fees...

only one i can find is the USBank Altitude connect the rest are $99 AF minimum.

Re: Best Travel Card with NO ANNUAL FEE

Janneman — Sun, 04 Jan 2026 14:47:30 GMT

@swankytiger wrote:
@Janneman wrote:
There might be other non-AF cards which takes care of TSA fees...
only one i can find is the USBank Altitude connect the rest are $99 AF minimum.

US bank Altitude Connect does have AF...although its waived for the first year...There are some cards, like Penfed Pathfinder which was stated above by another member....but again it depends on what exactly OP is looking for in a travel card....

Re: Best Travel Card with NO ANNUAL FEE

flash123 — Sun, 04 Jan 2026 16:03:29 GMT

The US Bank Connect does NOT have AF. It comes with 4x on travel ( includes airline, hotel and car rental) and gas/EV, four priority passes with restaurants, $100 toward TSA PreCheck or Global Entry and VISA Signature promotion of international data eSIM of 5GB every 15 days.

The Penfed Pathfinder is $95 AF card unless you have qualified checking account or Military service of the primary applicant (active duty, reserve, honorably discharged, or retired) then the AF is waved for as many Pathfinder cards you have. If you have the above, you get 4x on travel rewards otherwise 3x. It comes with $120 credit for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry and $100 airline incidental fees on the top 8 US domestic airlines. The card also includes priority pass yearly membership that is pay per visit service (~$35/visit including once a year visit to Chase lounge). It has the VISA promotion of a 1GB/year international data eSIM.

Re: Best Travel Card with NO ANNUAL FEE

Janneman — Sun, 04 Jan 2026 16:22:30 GMT

I have just checked US Bank site to make sure if Altitude Connect has AF or not, and found no AF. However, when I have had this card a few years back then I believe there used to have AF but get used to waive for the first year...And because of this card having AF in the past, I did product change it to Cash+ card after a year later to avoid AF. I remember many members from this site did what I did back then....

Re: Best Travel Card with NO ANNUAL FEE

FicoMike0 — Sun, 04 Jan 2026 16:48:49 GMT

I can confirm that connect has no af, no ftf and pays $100 for global entry. I got the card in early 24 when it had an af, waived first year and scheduled to be dropped in late 24. At the time, they offered a $500 sub, I couldn't resist. This was right after they paid a $500 sub for checking.

The penfed pathfinder looks good, the b@$tards turned me down with a 850 fico.

Re: Best Travel Card with NO ANNUAL FEE

Patient957 — Sun, 04 Jan 2026 17:23:42 GMT

The Bilt card has to be thrown into the mix. It has no FTF, access to very good transfer partners and comes with *primary* rental car coverage.

The big caveat of course is that it's discontinued in its current form and getting "refreshed" (i.e. nerfed) this month. But if they keep the no FTF, transfer partners and primary coverage on the No-AF version, then it remains a top no AF travel card. Doubt they will, but we'll see.