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Looking for a Travel Card

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RyeBread
Established Member

Looking for a Travel Card

I've been doing a lot of traveling lately, either for business or pleasure. I'm often booking flights, AirBnbs, and specific hotel rooms. I'm thinking it would be worth getting a card to take advantage of it. Ideally, to cover a flight or hotel for a personal trip.

That being said, aside from these expenses, I don't spend a lot.

Current Score: EQ (Citi FICO) (3/23): 831, EX (Amex FICO) (4/23): 820, TU (Discover): 800

~$138k total CL, ~1% utilized
Message 1 of 21
20 REPLIES 20
wasCB14
Super Contributor

Re: Looking for a Travel Card

Any favored hotel brands or airlines?

 

What is your home airport?

 

Are there other airports you usually fly to, either as a final destination or to make a connection?

Personal spend: Amex Gold, Amex Schwab Plat., BofA PR+CCR(x2), Costco
Business use: Amex Bus. Plat., BBP, Lowes Amex AU, CFU AU
Perks: Delta Plat., United Explorer, IHG49, Hyatt, "Old SPG"
Mostly SD: Freedom Flex, Freedom, Arrival
Upgrade/Downgrade games: ED, BCE
SUB chasing: AA Platinum Select
Message 2 of 21
Aim_High
Super Contributor

Re: Looking for a Travel Card

Travel cards is such a broad topic and we do need more information to give you good suggestions, @RyeBread.

 

@wasCB14's questions above were one good starting point - brand loyalty in particular.  I would also ask/comment:

 

  • What are your travel patterns in-general?  Flights or road trips?  Domestic or International flights?  First Class, Business, or Coach?  Luxury hotels, mid-price, or budget?   AirBnB more than hotels or resorts? 

 

  • What are your current credit cards?

 

  • It sounds like you purchase a variety of travel.  What percentage of travel spend goes on various categories such as flights, hotels, rental cars, gas (if road trips), cruises, parking/tolls/ferries, taxi/ride shares, etc. ? 

 

  • How do you feel about paying annual fees?  If you're okay with paying an AF, do you have a limit on how high you would be willing to pay, assuming you might get some or all of it back indirectly with credits? 

 

  • Would you use and be willing to pay an AF for airport lounge access?  Would you be willing to pay an AF for other perks and benefits like trip protections and insurances* or shopping protections**?

 

*Some examples: Trip Cancellation; Trip Delay; Lost Baggage; Delayed Baggage; AD&D - Accidental Death & Dismemberment; CDW - Rental Car Collision Damage Waiver; Emergency Evacuation, Emergency Medical - Dental; Roadside Dispatch or Roadside Assistance.

**Some examples:  Extended Warranty coverage; Purchase Protection; Return Protection.  

 

  • Would you be willing to accept rewards for future travel redemption instead of for cash?  Would you want a lot of flexibility in what you redeem your rewards toward or are you okay with a card that rewards better in certain ways, for example airfare or through a travel portal?

 


Business Cards


Length of Credit > 42 years; Total Credit Limits > $957.6K
Top Lender TCL - Chase 165.9 - BofA 99.9 - CITI 98.5 - AMEX 95.1 - NFCU 80.0 - SYCH - 65.0
AoOA > 32 years (Jun 1993); AoYA (Oct 2024)
* Hover cursor over cards to see name & CL, or press & hold on mobile app.
Message 3 of 21
SouthJamaica
Mega Contributor

Re: Looking for a Travel Card


@RyeBread wrote:

I've been doing a lot of traveling lately, either for business or pleasure. I'm often booking flights, AirBnbs, and specific hotel rooms. I'm thinking it would be worth getting a card to take advantage of it. Ideally, to cover a flight or hotel for a personal trip.

That being said, aside from these expenses, I don't spend a lot.


1.  It's significant that you don't have a lot of general spend, so the real question is strictly how to get the most bang for the buck on a credit card when you're making travel purchases, and I gather you're more interested in getting travel rewards that you can use for personal trips, than you are in cash back.

 

2.  If my assumptions are correct, I think a great card for you would be a Chase Sapphire Preferred or a Chase Sapphire Reserve.

 

PS I'm not one of the travel card aficionados here. @Aim_High is.  So once you answer his questions, he'll be able to give you a good recommendation you can 'take to the bank' Smiley Happy

 

 

 


Total revolving limits 568220 (504020 reporting) FICO 8: EQ 689 TU 691 EX 682




Message 4 of 21
Hoben02
Frequent Contributor

Re: Looking for a Travel Card

I might suggest you might want a cashback card that has the travel category like the bofa customized cash. Or are you looking for a travel card that collects points to be used to cover future travel. If you just want cashback this card has the widest travel category 

Chase (CSP,CF,CFU,southwest premier)
Barclay(jetblue, arrival)
Bofa(US pride, premium, travel, cash, Suzy komen)
Citi(Premier, Double cash, Costco)
Fnbo(Mlife)
Amex(everyday, cash, Hilton)
Blockfi
Caesars rewards
Sofi
Gemini
Cap One Savor One
Message 5 of 21
RyeBread
Established Member

Re: Looking for a Travel Card

- Travel Patterns: More flights than road-trips, but I do take the occasional one. Flights are domestic, coach. Mid-price/budget hotels (Renaissance, Marriot, Holiday Inn) for specific trips, but AirBnb otherwise.

- Flight Patterns: PHL -> LAX, PHL -> AUS, PHL -> ATL, PHL -> SFO

- Current Cards:

Disc1: $28k

X1: $30k

Amex BCE: $24k

Amex Everyday: $10k
Citi DP: $17k

Citi TYP: $19.2k

- % Spent: Majority is on flights, lodging, and either rental car or Uber/Lyft/Lime.

- AF: Not opposed, but the higher it is, the more it needs to be worth it to me. $95/yr is a lot easier to swallow than $550/yr

- Lounge Access: I would use it, but I'm pretty sure PHL doesn't have any lounges. 

 

- I'm fine w/ specific rewards instead of cash, specifically airline and/or hotels.

Current Score: EQ (Citi FICO) (3/23): 831, EX (Amex FICO) (4/23): 820, TU (Discover): 800

~$138k total CL, ~1% utilized
Message 6 of 21
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Looking for a Travel Card


@RyeBread wrote:



- Lounge Access: I would use it, but I'm pretty sure PHL doesn't have any lounges. 

 

 


Well, just 9

 

Lounges and Concierge Services | PHL.org

 

Message 7 of 21
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Looking for a Travel Card


@RyeBread wrote:

I've been doing a lot of traveling lately, either for business or pleasure. I'm often booking flights, AirBnbs, and specific hotel rooms. I'm thinking it would be worth getting a card to take advantage of it. Ideally, to cover a flight or hotel for a personal trip.

That being said, aside from these expenses, I don't spend a lot.


No mention of whether cash back or points are important.  I'd offer that AmEx Platinum, strictly for travel, is worth a look because of the lounge access at airports, perks at a range of hotels and resorts, and their level of service, especially when plans are interrupted. 5x points on airlines and hotels is nice too.

Message 8 of 21
SouthJamaica
Mega Contributor

Re: Looking for a Travel Card


@RyeBread wrote:

- Travel Patterns: More flights than road-trips, but I do take the occasional one. Flights are domestic, coach. Mid-price/budget hotels (Renaissance, Marriot, Holiday Inn) for specific trips, but AirBnb otherwise.

- Flight Patterns: PHL -> LAX, PHL -> AUS, PHL -> ATL, PHL -> SFO

- Current Cards:

Disc1: $28k

X1: $30k

Amex BCE: $24k

Amex Everyday: $10k
Citi DP: $17k

Citi TYP: $19.2k

- % Spent: Majority is on flights, lodging, and either rental car or Uber/Lyft/Lime.

- AF: Not opposed, but the higher it is, the more it needs to be worth it to me. $95/yr is a lot easier to swallow than $550/yr

- Lounge Access: I would use it, but I'm pretty sure PHL doesn't have any lounges. 

 

- I'm fine w/ specific rewards instead of cash, specifically airline and/or hotels.


If you can use Southwest, United, and/or Jet Blue, and don't want a high annual fee, then I think Chase Sapphire Preferred would be excellent for you.


Total revolving limits 568220 (504020 reporting) FICO 8: EQ 689 TU 691 EX 682




Message 9 of 21
coldfusion
Credit Mentor

Re: Looking for a Travel Card

Potential sleeper:  Fairwinds FCU Visa Signature.

(10/2025)
FICO 8 (EX) 838 (TU) 846 (EQ) 850
FICO 9 (EX) 850 (TU) 850 (EQ) 850

$1M+ club

Artist formerly known as the_old_curmudgeon who was formerly known as coldfusion
Message 10 of 21
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