2017 RANKING & REVIEWS
TOP RANKING BEST FREQUENT FLYER CREDIT CARDS
Frequent Flyer Credit Cards: Introducing Cards That Go the Distance
It doesn’t matter their age – people have dreams of travel. Whether you’re a young adult fresh out of college who wants to experience the world before entering the workforce or a recently retired senior looking to reward yourself with a long-term getaway, taking a trip can be the dream of a lifetime. But it can also be pricey, and finding a highly-ranked best credit card for travel points can certainly help.
Award Emblem: Top 6 Best Frequent Flyer Credit Cards
The best credit cards for travel rewards, huh? Yup. They exist. Instead of combing the internet for airline credit card deals, consumers can get deals right through the credit card they already use.
There are several credit card providers who are loading up their cards with reward miles offers that allow customers to earn while they spend. And the best credit cards for travel points come with premium earning potential — and even no annual fees!
AdvisoryHQ’s List of the Top 6 Best Frequent Flyer Credit Cards
List is sorted alphabetically (click any of the credit card names below to go directly to the detailed review section for that credit card):
- Bank Americard Travel Rewards® Credit Card
- Travel Rewards World MasterCard® for Business
- Venture® from Capital One®
- VentureOne® from Capital One®
- Discover it® Miles Card
- FlexPerks® Travel Rewards Visa Signature®
Top 6 Best Frequent Flyer Credit Cards | Brief Comparison & Ranking
Credit Card Names | Purchase APR | Balance Transfer APR | Cash Advance APR | Annual |
| Bank Americard Travel Rewards® Credit Card | 15.24% | 15.24% | 18.24% | None |
| Travel Rewards World MasterCard® for Business | 11.49% | 11.49% | 24.49% | None |
| Venture® from Capital One® | 13.24% | 23.24% | 23.24% | $59 |
| VentureOne® from Capital One® | 12.24% | 12.24% | 23.24% | None |
| Discover it® Miles Card | 11.24% | 11.24% | 25.24% | None |
| FlexPerks® Travel Rewards Visa Signature® | 14.24% | 14.24% | 24.24% | $49 |
Table: Top 6 Best Frequent Flyer Credit Cards | Above list is sorted alphabetically
Are Frequent Flyer Miles Even Worth It? | Cost vs. Value of Frequent Flyer Credit Cards
When frequent flyer miles cards first came on the scene, people snatched them up, eager to work toward a trip while they did things like go shopping or buy their groceries. But what they quickly realized was that their seemingly best credit card for travel rewards was super limited in its reach. Customers faced blackout dates where they could not book a trip with their rewards, limits with which airlines they could choose, and even expiry dates on the points they had worked hard to collect.
Image source: Pixabay
But you aren’t condemned to having to hope for airline credit card deals through the airline providers. As consumers grew cynical, credit card companies upped their game. Now, you can find numerous credit cards with travel rewards that allow you to earn unlimited points, never let your points expire, and let you use your rewards on any hotel or airline. Because that is how the best frequent flyer credit card should be.
All-in-One Change Management Tools
Top Rated Toolkit for Change Managers.
Get Your Change Management Tool Today...
AdvisoryHQ’s Selection Methodology
What methodology does AdvisoryHQ use in selecting and finalizing the credit cards, financial products, firms, services, and products that are ranked on its various top rated lists?
Please click here “AdvisoryHQ’s Ranking Methodologies” for a detailed review of AdvisoryHQ’s selection methodologies for ranking top rated credit cards, financial accounts, firms, products, and services.
Detailed Review – Top Ranking Best Frequent Flyer Credit Cards
Below, please find the detailed review of each credit card on our list of the best frequent flyer cards. We have highlighted some of the factors that allowed these credit cards with travel rewards to score so highly in our selection ranking.
Don’t Miss: Top Best Military Credit Cards | Ranking | Best Credit Cards for Military (Active & Veterans)
Bank Americard Travel Rewards® Credit Card Review
The BankAmericard Travel Rewards® Credit Card from Bank of America makes our list of the best travel rewards cards. If you want the best credit card for travel points that does not limit you in terms of which airlines you can pick, which hotels you can pick, or which dates you can pick, this is the best credit card for travel rewards.
The BankAmericard Travel Rewards® Credit Card was named “the best travel rewards card” by Kiplinger’s 2015 “Best List.” And it is not for nothing that organizations have bestowed the honor of best credit card for travel points on this card because it comes loaded with value.
For starters, the annual fee on these frequent flyer miles cards from Bank of America gives other cards vying for the title of “best credit card for travel rewards” a run for their money. Its annual fee is not just competitive – it’s non-existent. And this is not an introductory offer. This clear contender for best credit card for travel rewards has an all-time $0 annual fee.
The best credit card for travel points will ensure you are rewarded each time you spend, not just selectively. The BankAmericard Travel Rewards® Card is a top rated best travel rewards card because you can earn points on every purchase, every time, with no pesky expiration date on your points.
As one of our highly ranked credit cards with travel rewards, this card lets you accumulate points for as long as you want without any deadline pressuring you to cash them in. You earn 1.5 points for every $1 you spend.
A credit card travel rewards program that is worth its weight in gold takes care of its customers. Nothing puts a dent in your travel fun like foreign transaction fees that ding you for using your credit card internationally. With this top rated best travel points credit card, you receive no foreign transaction fees. Bon voyage!
Travel Rewards World MasterCard® for Business Credit Card Review
The Travel Rewards World MasterCard® for Business Credit Card is another one of our top rated best credit cards for travel points offered by Bank of America. The difference between this card and the previously reviewed BankAmericard Travel Rewards® Credit Card is that this one is specifically meant as a frequent flyer miles credit card for small business owners.
Like the other top rated best travel points credit card from Bank of America, this card does not come with an annual fee. And right off the bat, this credit card travel rewards program for businesses comes packing value. Cardholders get 25,000 bonus points if they spend $1000 in the first 60 days of opening the credit card account.
After your very first purchase with this card on our list of the best frequent flyer credit cards, you earn 5,000 bonus points, and after that, every $1 spent earns 1.5 points. This frequent flyer miles cards from Bank of America even offers you airline credit card deals by giving you 3 reward points for every $1 you spend booking a trip through the Bank of America Travel Center.
And as you would expect from a top rated best travel points credit card, your points never expire, so you can stock them up for your next round-the-world trip without fear of losing out. With this credit card travel rewards program, you can redeem your points for everything from gift cards to trips without worrying about blackout dates.
Venture® from Capital One® Review
The Venture® card from Capital One® earns miles per purchases as opposed to points. With this credit card travel rewards program, you earn two miles for every $1 you spend. If you spend $3,000 using your frequent flyer miles card within the first three months, you receive a 40,000 miles bonus as part of your introductory offer.
Among the frequent flyer credit cards on this list, this is one of the pricier ones in terms of the annual fee. With this credit card travel rewards program, you will be out $59 every twelve months. Despite the annual fee, the Venture® card makes our list of the best credit cards for travel points because of the flexibility with which you can book your trips.
One of the hassles of redeeming your points is trying to book a trip with them, depending on the credit card travel rewards program in question. With this top rated best credit card for travel rewards, you simply book a trip using your Venture® card and then redeem your miles through a statement credit on your Ventur®e card. You can book, pay, and redeem with ease.
For those who are a bit taken aback by the annual fee on this card on our list of the best credit cards for travel points, there is an introductory offer: no annual fee for the first year!
Related: Top Best Retail Credit Cards | Ranking | Best Retail Store Credit Cards for Bad Credit & Good Credit
VentureOne® from Capital One® Review
Consider the VentureOne® credit card from Capital One® the lightweight version of the Venture® card reviewed earlier. Capital One®’s cards join our list of the best credit cards for travel points because of the flexibility afforded to customers who may be unwilling or unable to cough up a $59 annual fee. This highly rated best credit card for travel rewards from Capital One® – the VentureOne® – comes with an annual fee of $0.
With this highly-rated best credit card for travel points on our list of the best frequent flyer credit cards, you will earn 1.25 miles for every $1 spent. As a top ranked best credit card for travel rewards, this card has an introductory APR of 0 percent for the first 12 months and a variable APR after that introductory offer is over.
As an additional introductory offer from one of the best credit cards for travel points, you get 20,000 bonus miles if you spend at least $1,000 in the first three months. You receive the same convenient ease of booking as you did with the other best credit frequent flyer credit card from Capital One®, the Venture® card. You can book your trip using your VentureOne® card and then redeem your miles through a statement credit.
One thing to point out, though, is that you need excellent credit in order to get this card. This is a rather attractive offer from Capital One®, especially in terms of the number of bonus miles, the introductory APR, and the lack of annual fee. As a result, the approval process for this credit card travel rewards program is rather selective.
Discover it® Miles Card Review
This is another one of our best frequent flyer credit cards that comes without a cumbersome annual fee. With the Discover it® Miles Card from Discover, your miles never expire, and you receive 1.5 reward miles on this highly-rated best credit card for travel rewards for every $1 you spend.
In addition to the $0 annual fee, new members of this top rated best credit card for travel points receive an introductory APR of 0% for the first 12 months on regular purchases. These frequent flyer miles cards then go up to a variable APR after the year is up.
Customers also receive up to $30 in cash back on their in-flight purchases in addition to dealing with no blackout dates when they want to book a flight or hotel using their credit card travel rewards.
To top things off and solidify its role as of the best credit cards for travel points, this top rated best credit card for travel rewards matches all miles earned in the first year, an offer that is only open to new cardmembers.
Popular Article: Compare Credit Cards | Ranking | Top Credit Cards (Comparison & Reviews)
Free Wealth & Finance Software - Get Yours Now ►
FlexPerks® Travel Rewards Visa Signature® Review
The FlexPerks® Travel Rewards Visa Signature® card from U.S. Bank may have some customers flinching at the presence of an annual fee ($49). While it may not be the highest on our list of the best credit cards for travel points, it still comes with some attractive features.
Let’s get to the good. Let’s talk about why we consider this one of the top ranked best credit cards for travel points instead of why it is not the best credit card for travel points.
Image source: Pexels
For starters, customer can earn premium points on specific purchases when they use frequent flyer miles cards. While you earn 1 point on every dollar you spend on regular purchases, you earn 2x the points when you buy groceries and 3x the points when you make a purchase on your credit card that goes to charity. When you open this card on our list of the best travel rewards cards for travel points, you earn 20,000 bonus points after you spend at least $2,000 in the first four months. You can use these points – deemed FlexPoints – toward car rentals as well.
When you use this frequent flyer miles card, you are also eligible for potential reimbursements of up to $25 for thing like baggage fees, in-flight meals, or even a seat upgrade. You also get complimentary in-flight wi-fi 12 times a year.
While there is an annual fee to think about, if the other features of this frequent flyer miles card are appealing to you, it may be worth the cost. If not, you can always opt for one of the no-annual fee cards on our list of the best travel cards for travel points.
Conclusion – Top 6 Best Credit Cards for Travel Points
There are a lot of benefits that come with using your credit card to make the most of your purchases. You can build your credit, benefit from the layers of security that come with a credit card as opposed to a debit card, and even earn rewards that can go toward additional purchases or your dream vacation. Our list of the best frequent flyer credit cards provides the top six best credit cards for travel points to help you get where you want to go – for cheaper!
To choose a highly-ranked best credit card for travel points, go through the list and compare rates and features. With a number of options, rates, annual fees, and point systems, you should be able to find a top rated best credit card for travel rewards that works for you.
Read More: Top Bank of America Rewards Cards | Ranking & Reviews | Bank of America Travel, Cash, Rewards Cards
AdvisoryHQ (AHQ) Disclaimer: Reasonable efforts have been made by AdvisoryHQ to present accurate information, however all info is presented without warranty. Review AdvisoryHQ’s Terms for details. Also review each firm’s site for the most updated data, rates and info. Note: Firms and products, including the one(s) reviewed above, may be AdvisoryHQ's affiliates. Click to view AdvisoryHQ's advertiser disclosures.
