A closer look at each travel credit card on this guide — what the card earns, who the card is best for, and who should skip it.
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is Capital One's premium travel flagship — the lowest-fee Visa Infinite premium card from a U.S. major issuer at $395 annually. The Capital One Venture X earns 2× miles on every purchase, 10× on hotels booked through Capital One Travel, and 5× on flights booked through Capital One Travel. The Capital One Venture X includes a $300 annual Capital One Travel credit and 10,000 anniversary miles — together offsetting the fee for most cardholders.
The Capital One Venture X is best for travelers who fly 4+ times a year, value Priority Pass and Capital One Lounge access, and want flexible transfer partners. Skip the Capital One Venture X if you fly less than twice a year — a no-fee card captures most of the value.
American Express Gold Card
The American Express Gold Card is American Express's mid-tier travel card built around dining and grocery earning. The American Express Gold Card earns 4× Membership Rewards points at U.S. restaurants and on the first $25,000/year at U.S. supermarkets, then 1× on everything else. The American Express Gold Card costs $325 annually and includes a $120 dining credit and $120 Uber Cash credit that offset the fee for active urban diners.
The American Express Gold Card is best for U.S. households spending heavily on dining and groceries — a $2,000/month grocery and restaurant budget earns the American Express Gold Card's annual fee back in ~5 months. Skip the American Express Gold Card if you rarely cook or dine out, or if you travel internationally often (the dining credits are U.S.-only).
Bilt Mastercard
The Bilt Mastercard is the only major credit card that earns rewards on rent payments without transaction fees. The Bilt Mastercard earns 1× points on rent (up to 100,000 points/year), 2× on travel, 3× on dining, and 1× on other purchases. The Bilt Mastercard charges $0 annual fee in the Bilt Blue Card variant, making the Bilt Mastercard a unique no-fee rewards option for U.S. renters.
The Bilt Mastercard is best for renters paying $1,500+/month, who want to earn transferable Bilt Rewards points (transferable to American Airlines, World of Hyatt, and others) on otherwise non-rewards spending. Skip the Bilt Mastercard if you own your home or have already maxed your other rewards strategy.
Wells Fargo Autograph Card
The Wells Fargo Autograph Card is a no-annual-fee multi-category rewards card from Wells Fargo. The Wells Fargo Autograph Card earns 3× points on travel, dining, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services, and phone plans — six bonus categories with no annual fee. The Wells Fargo Autograph Card includes a 20,000-point welcome bonus and 0% intro APR for 12 months.
The Wells Fargo Autograph Card is best for spenders with diverse monthly bills across the six bonus categories who don't want to pay an annual fee. Skip the Wells Fargo Autograph Card if you spend mostly in groceries (the Wells Fargo Autograph Card does not bonus groceries) or want lounges/transfer partners.
World of Hyatt Credit Card
The World of Hyatt Credit Card is Chase's co-branded World of Hyatt loyalty card. The World of Hyatt Credit Card earns 9× points at World of Hyatt properties, 2× at restaurants, gym/fitness, and local transit. The World of Hyatt Credit Card includes an annual Free Night Award at Category 1-4 World of Hyatt properties (worth $150-$300) and automatic Discoverist elite status. The World of Hyatt Credit Card costs $95 annually.
The World of Hyatt Credit Card is best for World of Hyatt loyalists who stay at World of Hyatt properties 5+ nights a year or chase the World of Hyatt Globalist tier. Skip the World of Hyatt Credit Card if you prefer flexible point currencies — the World of Hyatt Credit Card locks you into the World of Hyatt program.
