Over the past nineteen years as a business owner, I’ve used countless business cards. Some have been amazing and elevated both my travel and my business. Others have been…well, lackluster.

One of the best? The Business Platinum Card® from American Express. It comes with a lot of world-class perks and benefits, quality customer care, and a solid rewards structure (especially on large purchases).

While the annual fee is pretty high ($695, pay over time available. See Rates and Fees), for me, the travel benefits, along with all the statement credits, make the card worth carrying. I think it’s a great choice for business owners who travel frequently.

In this breakdown, I’ll detail the card, what you get, and why I like it.

What is the Business Platinum Card® from American Express?

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express is a travel rewards card geared towards business owners. (Remember: even side hustles and freelancing count as businesses so you can get this card even without being an LLC.) First, let’s go over some of the best things you get when you sign up, which make it a no brainer to get for the first year:

• Limited Time Offer: Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $20,000 on eligible purchases on your Business Platinum Card® within the first 3 months of Card Membership. Plus, earn a $500 statement credit after you spend $2,500 on qualifying flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express Travel with your Business Platinum Card® within the first 3 months of Card Membership. You can earn one or both of these offers. Offer ends 6/30/25.
• Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points for flights, prepaid hotels, and short-term rentals and prepaid flight + hotel packages booked at AmexTravel.com. 1x points on other eligible purchases.
• 1.5x points per dollar on each eligible purchase at US construction material, hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers, and software & cloud system providers, and shipping providers, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more, on up to $2 million per Card Account per calendar year. Purchases eligible for multiple additional point bonuses will only receive the highest eligible bonus.
• Complimentary access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection®, featuring more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries. Access is limited to eligible Card Members.
• Up to $120 in statement credits for Global Entry or TSA Pre-check every 4 years.
• Up to $199 yearly CLEAR® Plus credit (subject to auto-renewal)
• Up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year for incidental fees charged by your one selected, qualifying airline.
• Up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when you make an eligible purchase at Hilton properties. (Distributed in up to $50 increments per quarter. Hilton for Business program membership is required.)
• $150 credit with Adobe on eligible annual prepaid business plan purchases of Adobe Creative Cloud for teams or Adobe Acrobat Pro for teams on the Business Platinum Card through 6/30/25.
• Up to $120 per calendar year in statement credits for purchases made directly from any U.S. wireless telephone provider (up to $10 back per month).
• Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy® Gold Elite status (enrollment required)
• Complimentary Hilton Honors Gold status (enrollment required)
• No foreign transaction fees

Using Your Membership Rewards Points

You’ll earn Membership Rewards points with The Business Platinum Card® from American Express. Since Amex has a well-rounded suite of travel partners, Membership Rewards points are some of the most valuable points out there.

These are Amex’s current travel partners:

• Aer Lingus AerClub (1:1 ratio)
• Aeromexico Rewards (1:1.6 ratio)
• Air Canada Aeroplan (1:1 ratio)
• Air France-KLM Flying Blue (1:1 ratio)
• ANA Mileage Club (1:1 ratio)
• Avianca LifeMiles (1:1 ratio)
• British Airways Club (1:1 ratio)
• Cathay Pacific Asia Miles (1:1 ratio)
• Choice Privileges (1:1 ratio)
• Delta SkyMiles (1:1 ratio)
• Emirates Skywards (1:1 ratio)
• Etihad Guest (1:1 ratio)
• HawaiianMiles (1:1 ratio)
• Hilton Honors (1:2 ratio)
• Iberia Plus (1:1 ratio)
• JetBlue TrueBlue (250:200 ratio)
• Marriott Bonvoy (1:1 ratio)
• Qantas Frequent Flyer (1:1 ratio)
• Qatar Airways Privilege Club (1:1 ratio)
• Singapore KrisFlyer (1:1 ratio)
• Virgin Atlantic Flying Club (1:1 ratio)

Most transfers are instant, though some can take up to 48 hours.

You can also use your Membership Rewards points to book flights and hotels in the Amex Travel portal. I generally wouldn’t do this though as it’s not the best use of your points. It’s always better to transfer them out to one of their partners. However, you can get 35% points back when you do book via their portal so just compare the points costs between both before making a decision.

Breaking Down the Business Platinum’s Credits and Benefits

Amex cards are well-known for their plethora of perks and benefits. They’re a big reason I love their cards. And, if you can take advantage of all that it has to offer, the Business Platinum boasts over $1,700 worth of value. But, with so many categories and so much fine print, it can be hard to keep track of whether a benefit is actually useful for your spending habits. So, to help you decide if the card is right for you, I want to break down some of the major categories of benefits:

Airport Experience Credits (Lounge Access, CLEAR Plus, Global Entry/TSA PreCheck)
One of the best things about this card — and what makes it a standout for frequent travelers — is the unbeatable airport lounge access. You’ll get into some of the top lounges worldwide, including the excellent Centurion Lounges and Delta Sky Clubs (when you’re flying Delta, with up to 10 visits per year).

On top of that, you’ll get complimentary access to the huge Priority Pass network. If having a quiet space to relax, grab a drink, or get some work done is a priority when you travel, this card has you covered pretty much anywhere.

I also appreciate that the Business Platinum helps you get through the airport faster. It offers up to $199 in statement credits each year for a CLEAR® Plus membership, which speeds you through security lines.

You’ll also get a credit for Global Entry (up to $100 every 4 years) or TSA PreCheck (up to $85 every 4.5 years), depending on which one you choose. I personally recommend going for Global Entry. It takes a little more effort (there’s an interview), but it includes TSA PreCheck too. It’ll save you a ton of time if you travel internationally.

Airline and Hotel Credits
Another travel-related benefit is the up to $200 airline credit. Unfortunately, it comes with a fair number of restrictions, making this credit a bit more annoying to use. It can only be used on one (pre-selected) airline, and you can only use it for incidentals, not airfare. But if you don’t have an airline credit card that offers free baggage, it can be useful to have. You can also use the credit for airline expenses like paid seat selection or on-board food and drink.

The Business Platinum also offers a few Hilton-related benefits. First, you can receive up to $200 in statement credits at Hilton properties when booked directly. Since these credits are distributed in quarterly $50 increments, you’d have to stay in a Hilton property at least four times a year to get the full value of this credit. But if you’re on the road a lot, that can be easy to do.

Second, the Business Platinum offers complimentary Hilton Honors Gold Status (as well as Marriott Bonvoy® Gold Elite status), which offer extra perks and benefits when staying at these properties.

Business-Related Statement Credits
The Business Platinum card comes with some great perks to help lighten the financial load of running a business. Expenses can really add up if you’re managing a business while traveling, so I appreciate that the Business Platinum helps offset these costs.

You can get up to $400 in statement credits on U.S. Dell purchases (through June 30, 2025, split into $200 chunks every six months). There’s also up to $360 back per year on Indeed ads (up to $90 each quarter), which is great if you’re hiring as your business grows.

If you use Adobe tools, there’s a $150 credit available when you prepay annually for eligible Adobe Creative Cloud or Acrobat Pro plans for teams. And to keep you connected on the go, you’ll get up to $120 a year for purchases made directly with U.S. wireless providers — that’s $10 back each month.

Amex Offers
On top of all those valuable statement credits, the Business Platinum gives you access to Amex Offers, an easy way to save some cash or rack up extra points with a wide range of retailers. These deals rotate regularly and are personalized, so what shows up for you might be totally different from what another cardholder sees. Most of the time, it’s a simple setup like “spend X, get Y back.” I always check Amex Offers before I purchase. (The personal card offers this too.)

The Business Platinum’s Travel Insurance
The Business Platinum also comes with great travel insurance. While I still recommend buying a standalone policy for medical, this card includes strong built-in coverage like trip delay, trip cancellation, emergency evacuation, and medical transport. It also includes cell phone protection for damage or theft, a rare but valuable perk. For a maximum of $800 per claim, with a limit of two approved claims per 12-month period, when your cell phone line is listed on a wireless bill and the prior month’s wireless bill was paid by an Eligible Card Account. A $50 deductible will apply to each approved claim.

So, while you could get away with the card’s insurance if you book the trip on the card, I wouldn’t rely on it completely. But it’s better than most!

Should you get this card?

The Business Platinum is ideal for frequent travelers who can make the most of perks like smoother airport experiences and hotel elite status. If you can take advantage of a few of the business-related statement credits, the statement credits alone make the high annual fee worth it. I get a lot of value from the card through the statement credits that make carrying the card after the first year really worth it.

While it’s true you only get 1x point per dollar spent on anything under $5,000 (which isn’t as good as many other cards), the points back on redemptions and the tons of statement credits, elite status, Amex offers, and partners you don’t find anywhere else make this card essential for any business owner.

Stop paying full price for travel!

Download my free guide to points and miles and learn how to use points and miles for free travel! It's how all the pros travel so much! In this guide, I'll show you:

• How to Pick a Credit Card
• How to Earn Up to 10x Miles on Your Spending
• How to Redeem Your Points
• And a Ton of Other Money Saving Tips!

Get the guide

The post The Business Platinum Card® from American Express Review appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

When I first started traveling, I lived out of hostels. They were cheap and my budget was tight. Plus, as an introvert, they were perfect for meeting fellow backpackers and getting me out of my comfort zone.

I still love the vibe of hostels, but these days, running a business on the road means I often need more space and privacy. And I love sticking to one brand because you can get free breakfast, upgrades, and rooms.

Whether you’re a seasoned backpacker or just an occasional traveler, having at least one hotel credit card is a game-changer. With big bonuses, free nights, and extra perks, it’s one of the best ways to save on accommodation and level up your hotel experience.

That’s why today I want to highlight one of the best hotel cards out there from one of my favorite hotel brands: the Hilton Honors American Express Card. This entry level card is great for people who want a low fee card with good perks.

What is the Hilton Honors American Express Card?

The Hilton Honors American Express Card is a hotel rewards credit card. With this card, you’ll earn 5x points at U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and U.S. gas stations. You’ll also get 3x points on all other purchases. It has $0 annual fee (See Rates and Fees), making it great for beginners who don’t want to get a card with an annual fee right away.

Here’s what the card offers:

• Earn 80,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the Hilton Honors American Express Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
• 7x points on Hilton hotels and resorts
• 5x points on U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and U.S. gas stations
• 3x points on all other purchases
• Complimentary Hilton Honors Silver status
• No foreign transaction fees
• Extended warranty*: The card comes with an extended warranty that adds up to one year to an original manufacturer’s warranty of five years or less.
• Purchase protection*: Purchase protection covers items accidentally damaged, stolen or lost if you paid for them with your card. This benefit covers purchases for up to 90 days and covers up to $1,000 per item (up to $50,000 per calendar year).
• Car rental insurance**: When you use the card to reserve and pay for a car rental and decline the rental company’s insurance, you’re covered against damage and theft — up to $50,000. This benefit is secondary coverage to your own auto insurance and doesn’t include liability.

Complimentary Card Benefit: Hilton Honors Silver Status

Being a member of Hilton Honors, Hilton’s loyalty program, offers a lot of perks and benefits (based on elite status of course). To encourage travelers to always book with Hilton, Hilton Honors offers free stays, room upgrades, and other benefits that make frequent stays worthwhile. It’s free to join the program, and basic members enjoy waived resort fees on award stays as well as free Wi-Fi.

Without the card, you’d earn higher status via spending a specific number of nights each year at a Hilton property. With the Hilton Honors Amex card though, you’ll get complimentary Hilton Honors Silver status (normally you’d have to stay at least 10 nights at a Hilton property within a year to earn this level of status).

Silver status includes:

• Earn 20% more points: Earn 20% more points on eligible stays compared to base members
• Fifth night free on award stays: When you book four nights on points, you’ll get the fifth night free (up to a 20-night stay)
• Spa discounts: When staying at an all-inclusive Hilton property, you’ll get 15% off the spa
• Elite rollover nights: Carry over any additional nights from the current year toward earning higher elite status next year
• Two complimentary bottles of water per stay: Get free bottles of water at check-in (where available)

While Silver is Hilton’s entry-level elite status, it provides good value, especially for infrequent travelers. I especially like the fifth night free perk, which can be used an unlimited number of times annually (though it is capped at four free nights at once, but who is staying at a hotel for 20 nights in a row?).

Using Your Hilton Honors Points

Unlike World of Hyatt, Hilton Honors doesn’t publish an award chart. That means that the number of points it takes to book a room for the night isn’t set. Instead, the room rate varies dynamically based on supply and demand. That means that stays can be between 5,000–150,000 points per night (150k is for the Hilton resort in the Maldives) — sometimes even more!

That said, you’ll find that most stays hover around 30,000–60,000 points per night.

Unfortunately, the lack of an award chart also means it’s a bit more challenging to figure out how to get the best value out of your points. You can always manually search by locations and properties you’re interested in, or use Hilton’s own Points Explorer tool to help you find stays bookable with points. You can filter by how many points you have, destination, and what type of property you’re looking to book (such as a resort or boutique hotel).

However, I recommend using tools like Awayz to help you find the best deals and make the most out of your points. Awayz helps you compare the cash price to points price to determine where you’re getting the most out of your points. I’ve found some pretty great deals using it!
 

Pros of the Hilton Honors Card

• No annual fee
• Complimentary elite status
• Fifth night free on award stays
• Increased points earning rates at Hilton properties as well as U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and U.S. gas stations

Cons of the Hilton Honors Card

• Status perks are pretty basic
• No bonus points earned on general travel purchases

Who is this Card For?

This card is best for fans of the Hilton brand who want to earn free stays using a card that doesn’t carry an annual fee. If you’re fine with entry-level elite status and decent earning rates on your spending, this card could be a solid choice.

But, if you’re after more flexibility with your rewards or want to unlock better Hilton perks (like free food/beverage credit or hotel lounge access), I’d suggest a mid-tier or premium Hilton card or even a more versatile travel rewards card. It’s all about matching the card to how you travel!

Stop paying full price for travel!

Download my free guide to points and miles and learn how to use points and miles for free travel! It's how all the pros travel so much! In this guide, I'll show you:

• How to Pick a Credit Card
• How to Earn Up to 10x Miles on Your Spending
• How to Redeem Your Points
• And a Ton of Other Money Saving Tips!

Get the guide

*Eligibility and benefit levels vary by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

**Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered, and geographic restrictions apply. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.

The post Hilton Honors American Express Card Review appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

If you want to travel cheaper, better, and longer, one of the best tools in your arsenal is a solid rewards credit card.

Still, despite how often I talk about the topic, many travelers (or would-be travelers) are reluctant to get one. They think it’s a scam, don’t want to pay an annual fee, or just are generally wary of the whole thing.

If you’re in that camp, today I want to discuss a credit card that may be the perfect introduction to the world of points and miles: the Chase Freedom Unlimited.

This card offers great value, with no annual fee and solid earning potential. It’s excellent as a standalone card with tons of potential for leveling up your game if and when you’re ready. It’s a favorite for newbies and seasoned travelers alike.

So, in this post, I’m going to break down why the Chase Freedom Unlimited deserves a spot in your wallet and how you can use it to turn everyday purchases into free travel.

What is the Chase Freedom Unlimited?

The Chase Freedom Unlimited (sometimes referred to as CFU) is a credit card issued by Chase. What I love about it is that it has a $0 annual fee and offers 1.5% cash back on all purchases. It’s great for points and miles beginners who don’t want to worry about earning at different rates across various categories.

Plus, if you do want to level up your game, you can combine it with a Chase Sapphire card to supercharge your rewards earning capabilities (more on that below).

This card earns you the following:

• 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel^SM
• 5% cash back on Lyft rides (through March 2025)
• 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services
• 1.5% cash back on all other purchases
• Current welcome offer: an extra 1.5% cash back on everything you buy on up to $20,000 spent in the first year

You can redeem this cash back against your next statement or choose to get it directly deposited into your bank account.

But you can get even more out of this card when you combine it with one of Chase’s Sapphire cards (more on this soon).

Perks and Benefits of the Chase Freedom Unlimited

In addition to these excellent earning rates, you’ll get access to a number of perks and benefits. Again, since it has a $0 annual fee, these are all just bonuses.

• Access to Chase Offers, an ever-changing selection of deals for various merchants , including online shopping, gas stations, delivery services, clothing brands, and hotels, among many other sectors (you could really see anything here)
• Complimentary three months of DashPass when you activate by January 31, 2025 (through which members get up to $10 off quarterly on non-restaurant DoorDash orders)
• Secondary Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver
• Trip cancellation/interruption insurance (up to $1,500 per person and $6,000 per trip for your prepaid, nonrefundable passenger fares, if your trip is canceled or cut short by sickness, severe weather, or other covered situations)
• Purchase protection (covers your new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft up to $500 per claim and $50,000 per account)
• Extended warranty protection

Combining with a Chase Sapphire Card

While this card is a great cash-back card in its own right, it’s best when paired with a more premium Chase card that earns transferable points. The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (CSP) or the Chase Sapphire Reserve are the two most popular, though you could also do this with my favorite business card, the Ink Business Preferred Credit Card. (Note that these cards do have fees.)

That’s because, when you also hold one of these cards, you can convert the cash back earned on the CFU to valuable Chase Ultimate Rewards points. (The Freedom Unlimited on its own only earns cash back.) That means you can pool points earned on either card together and have access to Chase’s great airline and hotel transfer partners.

While getting cash back is easier (and certainly enticing), I consider points to be much more valuable. That’s because you can typically get at least 2 cents per point when transferring to travel partners (sometimes much more).

So why not just have one of the Chase Sapphire Cards and no Freedom Unlimited?

While this is an excellent option (and what many people do), having two cards within the same “family” ensures that you maximize earning categories while earning the same type of points. (You don’t want to spread yourself too thin across too many different cards earning different types of points that you can’t combine.)

By holding both a Chase Sapphire card and the Chase Freedom Unlimited, you can be sure that you’re earning at least 1.5x points on all purchases, a rarity in a travel card (both Sapphires only earn 1x points on all purchases).

If you hold the Chase Sapphire Preferred and the Chase Freedom Unlimited, for example, you’d earn:

• 1.5x on all purchases (CFU)
• 2x on all travel (CSP)
• 3x on drugstores (CFU)
• 3x on dining, including takeout and eligible delivery services (both cards)
• 5x on Lyft (until March 2025, both cards)
• 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel (both cards)

Lastly, since the CFU does have a foreign transaction fee, you won’t want to use this card when traveling. Think of the CSP as your travel card and the CFU as your everyday card with a higher earning rate on all purchases. Using the two together is an excellent combination.

Pros of the CFU

• No annual fee
• Solid rewards structure, with at least 1.5% back on everything
• Easy to redeem cash back as statement credit or direct deposit
• Great value when paired with a Chase Sapphire card

Cons of the CFU

• 3% foreign transaction fee
• Not a ton of travel benefits

Who is this card for?

The Chase Freedom Unlimited is ideal for those who want an easy-to-use card that gets a better-than-average earning rate on all purchases. It also leaves room to grow into the points-and-miles world when combined with a higher-level card from Chase. And, if you already have a Sapphire card, adding the CFU to your wallet allows you to continue to level up your game, maximizing your rewards on all purchases.

As with any credit card, you should not get it if you’re already carrying a balance or plan to carry one. Interest rates for travel credit cards are notoriously high, and this one is no different. The points just aren’t worth it if you’re paying interest each month.

This card is also not for anyone with poor credit, as you need good or excellent credit to qualify. (If that’s you, check out the best credit cards for bad credit so you can start improving your score today.)

Lastly, this card does count toward Chase’s 5/24 rule (you can’t open more than five cards within 24 months). If you’ve already opened five credit cards (any cards, not just Chase cards) within the past two years (or want to open more soon), you either won’t be able to get this card or might want to skip it for now.

Whether you’re just dipping your toes into the points-and-miles game or looking to complement your current lineup, the Chase Freedom Unlimited is a fantastic card. With no annual fee and impressive earning rates, it’s the perfect gateway to the world of points and miles if you’re just starting out.

And, if and when you want to take things up a notch, you can pair it with a premium Chase card down the road to really maximize your points. It’s a no-brainer choice that can kickstart your journey to mastering points and miles.
 

Stop paying full price for travel!

Download my free guide to points and miles and learn how to use points and miles for free travel! It's how all the pros travel so much! In this guide, I'll show you:

• How to Pick a Credit Card
• How to Earn Up to 10x Miles on Your Spending
• How to Redeem Your Points
• And a Ton of Other Money Saving Tips!

Get the guide

Non-Affiliate disclosure: All information about The Chase Freedom Unlimited® has been collected independently by Nomadic Matt. The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is no longer available through Nomadic Matt.

The post Chase Freedom Unlimited® Review appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

If you’re like me, you’re always on the lookout for ways to make your adventures more affordable and enjoyable. That’s why I collect points and miles. They help me travel longer, better, and cheaper.

Today I want to talk about a card that’s been growing in popularity over the past few years: the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card. It’s designed for travelers who want to easily rack up miles without having to keep track of bonus categories.

And, in the past couple of years, they have really improved the card. It’s one of the main cards I use now because I love their travel portal, their transfer partners, and all the perks that come with the card.

With a hefty sign-up bonus, premium travel benefits, and an impressive rewards structure, the Venture X is worth considering if you’re looking for a new card. Here’s everything you need to know about the card and why I think you should consider getting it:

What is the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card?

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is a travel rewards card issued by Capital One. What I love about this card is its miles system. For every dollar you spend, you earn two miles, which (along with the lower-fee Capital One Venture Rewards Card) is unique among travel credit cards. There’s also no additional cost for up to four authorized users, making this a good option for families who need several cards.

In addition to earning at least 2x miles on every purchase, you can earn miles the following ways:

• 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months after opening the account
• 10x miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• 5x miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel

Other Perks and Benefits of the Capital One Venture X

Aside from earning miles, the Venture X packs a punch with its range of perks:

• $300 travel credit when booking through the Capital One portal
• Up to $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck
• Complimentary access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and the Partner Lounge Network
• 10,000 bonus miles every year, starting on your first anniversary
• $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
• Access to Capital One Offers (cash back offers from a variety of merchants)
• Access to Capital One Entertainment (where you can redeem miles for concert tickets and other events)
• Travel insurance coverage, including primary car rental insurance, trip interruption and cancellation, and luggage reimbursement
• No foreign transaction fees

With an annual fee of $395, it’s also the cheapest premium travel card out there (plus, if you can use the $300 travel credit, that brings the fee down to a manageable $95).

Using Your Capital One Miles

Capital One miles can be redeemed in a few ways. One is by booking travel directly through Capital One’s portal. While I usually don’t recommend booking through credit card portals, to fully benefit from the Venture X’s travel credit, you’ll need to book at least $300 worth of travel this way.

Another option is to use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase. For 90 days after making such a purchase, you can reimburse yourself at a redemption rate of one cent per mile. After 90 days, and for all other purchases, you can use miles as cash back, at a redemption rate of 0.5 cents per mile (but avoid doing this, as it’s not a good value).

You can also use your Capital One miles in the Capital One Entertainment portal to book tickets for concerts, sports events, and more. Occasionally, Capital One offers cardholder-only events and presale opportunities too. While you’ll get just 0.8 cents per mile for tickets (not the best value), it’s still a fun and unique way to redeem miles.

However, you’ll get the most out of your miles by transferring them to Capital One’s 15+ airline and hotel partners. While the actual value varies based on what you book, you can usually find airline and hotel redemptions worth much more than the aforementioned one cent per mile. (The process is pretty straightforward and can be done through your Capital One account.)

Here are Capital One’s current travel partners:

• Accor Live Limitless
• Aeromexico Club Premier
• Air Canada Aeroplan
• Air France/KLM Flying Blue
• Avianca LifeMiles
• British Airways Executive Club
• Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
• Choice Privileges
• Emirates Skywards
• Etihad Airways Guest
• EVA Air Infinity MileageLands
• Finnair Plus
• Qantas Frequent Flyer
• Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
• TAP Portugal Miles&Go
• Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles
• Virgin Red
• Wyndham Rewards

Using transfer partners is a game-changer if you’re looking to maximize the value of your miles. That’s why, unless I find a super cheap flight or hotel room (less than $150 USD), I always transfer miles to Capital One’s travel partners. That’s especially true when booking business class flights or fancy hotel rooms. You just get more value for your money.

Plus, with tools like point.me and Awayz (search engines that help you find the best flights and hotels to book with miles), it’s easier than ever to find the best redemption options.

Pros of the Capital One Venture X

• Substantial welcome offer
• 2x miles on every purchase
• $300 annual travel credit
• 15+ transfer partners
• Travel accident and car rental insurance
• Up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck
• Complimentary access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide
• Access to Capital One Offers and Capital One Entertainment platform
• No foreign transaction fees

Cons of the Capital One Venture X

• Steep $395 annual fee
• Must use Capital One’s Travel Portal to take advantage of some benefits (e.g., 10x miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars)
• Transfer partners are a bit lacking (no US airlines and not the best hotels)

Who is this card for?

The Capital One Venture X is best for frequent travelers who want a straightforward card with a higher earning rate on all purchases. If you frequently fly and stay in hotels, and are willing to pay an annual fee for premium benefits, this card is tailored for you.

Who is this card not for?

On the flip side, if you’re not a frequent traveler or don’t spend enough to offset the $395 annual fee, the Venture X might not be the best fit. It’s also not ideal if you’re looking for a card with a high rewards rate in specific categories like dining or groceries.

If you travel occasionally or prefer a lower annual fee, you might want to pick another card that better aligns with your spending habits and travel frequency. Because there is no right card — only the card that’s right for you!

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is a powerhouse for those who travel often and want to enjoy top-tier perks. Weigh the pros and cons to see if it’s the right fit for your travel lifestyle but I bet it is! Like I said in the intro, it’s one of my favorite cards and I definitely recommend getting it.

Stop paying full price for travel!

Download my free guide to points and miles and learn how to use points and miles for free travel! It's how all the pros travel so much! In this guide, I'll show you:

• How to Pick a Credit Card
• How to Earn Up to 10x Miles on Your Spending
• How to Redeem Your Points
• And a Ton of Other Money Saving Tips!

Get the guide

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I love talking about travel credit cards. They’ve helped me travel the world for over a decade and saved me a fortune in flights, hotels, and other travel perks. I never get bored of comparing their perks, applying for new cards, and optimizing my benefits.

These days, when it comes to travel rewards cards, there are generally two types that get a lot of attention: cards with low or no annual fees that are good for beginners; and premium cards for the jet set crowd, with their high fees and luxury perks.

There aren’t too many cards that fall in between. Today I want to talk about a card that does: the American Express® Gold Card.

While it’s a favorite among avid points and miles collectors, it often gets left out of the larger conversation. I think that’s a mistake, as this card has a lot to offer.

The Amex Gold recently got a refresh and an elevated welcome offer, making it an excellent time to consider this powerhouse of a card. I personally think it’s a card more travelers should have in their wallet and it is one I use.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Amex Gold to help you decide if it’s right for you:

What is the American Express® Gold Card?

The American Express® Gold Card is a card issued by American Express. I think it’s a great choice for travelers who enjoy dining out, as you’ll earn more points dining at restaurants (up to $50,000 on these purchases per calendar year), as well as a ton of statement credits in the same vein (I’ll get into specifics below).

With this card, you’ll earn Membership Rewards® points, which you can transfer to any of their 21 airline and hotel partners (they have some solid partners too).

This card offers:

• Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Earn 4x Membership Rewards points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1x points for the rest of the year
• Earn 4x Membership Rewards points per dollar spent at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1x points for the rest of the year.
• Earn 3x Membership Rewards points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com
• Earn 2x Membership Rewards points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com
• Earn 1x Membership Rewards point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
• Up to $524 worth of statement credits (which I’ll break down below)
• No foreign transaction fees

The card comes with a $325 annual fee (See Rates and Fees).
 

Breaking Down the Amex Gold’s Statement Credits

American Express is known for offering a lot of perks and benefits with its cards (that’s why I love their cards). As I mentioned, this card comes with up to $524 worth of statement credits. If you can take advantage of them, that’s more than enough to offset the annual fee. Since there are so many credits (all with their own fine print), I want to break each one down.

Up to $120 in Uber Cash
This is probably the easiest benefit for most people to use. When you add your Gold Card to the Uber app, you’ll get $10 in Uber Cash distributed each month, (adding up to $120 over the course of the year). You can use it for rides or to order food through Uber Eats, though I don’t love that you can only use it in the U.S. since I’m often on the road.

Before your purchase, make sure that Uber Cash is toggled on as a payment method, and then after your purchase you’ll see the credit deduction on your in-app receipt.

You must have downloaded the latest version of the Uber App and effective 11/8/2024, an Amex Card must be selected as the payment method for your Uber or Uber Eats transaction to redeem the Amex Uber Cash benefit. The Amex benefit may only be used in United States.

Up to $120 Dining Credit
On the flip side, I find this benefit a bit harder to use. You can earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Amex Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. I think it’s kind of a random assortment of companies, but if you use any of these companies often, that’s another $120 per year right there.

Up to $84 Dunkin’ Credit
This benefit was added with the card’s recent refresh. If you’re a fan of Dunkin’, with this credit you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with your Amex Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Since most are on the U.S. East Coast (New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Florida have the most locations), it’ll be most useful to fellow East Coasters.

Up to $100 Resy Credit
This is another benefit that was recently added. Resy is a restaurant-reservation website (owned by Amex) where you can make reservations at over 16,000 restaurants around the world.

With the Resy credit, you can get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with your Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants (or make other eligible Resy purchases). Unlike most of the card’s other statement credits, this benefit is rolled out semi-annually, meaning you get up to $50 credit in the first half of the year, and then the other $50 the second half. You can also check your progress in the app or website:

I like semi-annual statement credits because they give you a bit more flexibility, although this is another credit that’s fairly easy to use if you dine out frequently. You don’t actually have to make a reservation with Resy; the restaurant just needs to offer Resy reservations. It’s easiest if you live in or frequently visit a major city that has a lot of restaurants on Resy.

Up to $100 hotel experience credit
This is the card’s only travel statement credit. With this benefit, you can receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. Eligible charges vary by property, but it could include dining credits (like complimentary breakfast) or spa treatments.

Enrollment is required for select benefits mentioned in this section.

Access to Amex Offers

In addition to all those statement credits, by holding an American Express card you get access to Amex Offers. These are ever-changing offers where you can save money or earn bonus points with select retailers. The offers are targeted, so every cardholder has their own unique array of offers at any given time.

Amex Offers are structured like this:

• Spend X, get Y amount back (like in the screenshot above; this is the majority of Amex Offers)
• Spend X, get Y number of bonus points
• Get additional Membership Rewards points per dollar you spend at that retailer (i.e. get 5 MR points per dollar you spend at The Gap)
• Get X% back when you use the link provided

It’s important to know that you have to hit that “Add to Card” link before you can take advantage of each offer. While you probably won’t be able to take advantage of most offers, sometimes you may, which is another way to recoup the annual fee on this card. It’s worth it to check back every so often so you can add any offers to your card that you might use (just remember to pay with your Gold Card to redeem the offer).

Using Your Membership Rewards Points

With the American Express® Gold Card, you earn Membership Rewards points. To get the most out of your points, you’ll want to transfer them to one of Amex’s travel partners:

• Aer Lingus AerClub (1:1 ratio)
• Aeromexico Rewards (1:1.6 ratio)
• Air Canada Aeroplan (1:1 ratio)
• Air France-KLM Flying Blue (1:1 ratio)
• All Nippon Airways Mileage Club (1:1 ratio)
• Avianca LifeMiles (1:1 ratio)
• British Airways Executive Club (1:1 ratio)
• Cathay Pacific Asia Miles (1:1 ratio)
• Choice Privileges® (1:1 ratio)
• Delta SkyMiles (1:1 ratio)
• Emirates Skywards (1:1 ratio)
• Etihad Guest (1:1 ratio)
• HawaiianMiles (1:1 ratio)
• Hilton Honors (1:2 ratio)
• Iberia Plus (1:1 ratio)
• JetBlue TrueBlue (250:200 ratio)
• Marriott Bonvoy (1:1 ratio)
• Qantas Frequent Flyer (1:1 ratio)
• Singapore KrisFlyer (1:1 ratio)
• Virgin Atlantic Flying Club (1:1 ratio)

Most transfers are instant, though a few (like Iberia and Cathay Pacific) can take up to 48 hours.

You can also use your Membership Rewards points to book flights and hotels in Amex Travel, the travel portal. Though, as I’ve talked about before, this isn’t the best use of your points. I generally wouldn’t do it.

American Express Welcome Bonus Restrictions

Unlike other companies (like Chase), American Express only allows you to earn a welcome bonus once per card. Ever. Plus, you can’t earn a welcome bonus on a card at all if you already have (or have held) a higher tier card in the same family.

For the Amex Gold Card, that means you won’t be able to get the welcome offer if you already have The Platinum Card® from American Express.

I’m mentioning this because it’s important to think about if you want to get other Amex cards eventually. This means that for American Express cards, it’s best to open cards moving up in the food chain, so to speak (so get the Gold Card before the Platinum Card).

Pros of the Amex Gold

• High earning rates at restaurants, US supermarkets, and on flights (when booked directly or through AmexTravel)
• Lots of statement credits
• Access to Amex Offers

Cons of the Amex Gold

Who is the Amex Gold for?

The main draw of this card is being able to earn 4x points on restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets. It stands alone in that aspect among cards with transferable points (the most valuable kind of points). If you are a foodie that can make use of the credits and other perks, then you’ll love this card.

As with any credit card, you should not get this card if you’re already carrying a balance or plan to carry a balance. Interest rates for travel credit cards are notoriously high, and this card is no different. The points just aren’t worth it if you’re paying interest each month.

This card is also not for anyone with poor credit, as you need excellent credit to qualify. (If that’s you, check out best credit cards for bad credit so you can start improving your score today.)

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• How to Earn Up to 10x Miles on Your Spending
• How to Redeem Your Points
• And a Ton of Other Money Saving Tips!

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Earning points and miles is the best way to fly more for less. It’s the way I’ve been able to stay on the road for so long — and I’ve seen what a difference it’s made for my readers too.

I write a lot about the best credit cards to get depending on your travel goals, but I’ve talked less about how to use those points.

Today, I want to change that because I keep getting emails from people talking about how it takes too many points to book a flight. When I follow up, it is because they are booking through the credit card’s travel portal and that’s something you should rarely, if ever, do!

Travel rewards cards offer two main ways to use the points that you earn to book trips:

• By transferring points to their travel partners
• By using a card issuer’s booking portal

For those who are new to earning and using points and miles, there’s a lot of confusion about which is the better option. Travel credit cards position their portals as the best option for using your points. But, in reality, they rarely ever are.

So let’s talk about why this is.

The Low-Down on Travel Portals

Travel portals are online travel agencies (OTAs) offered by banks as part of the benefits of holding one of their rewards cards. They work exactly like other OTAs, such as Expedia or Kayak, where you can book flights, hotels, and rental cars by searching for availability via their search engine.

The main difference is that these travel portals are connected to your credit card. This allows you to use your points and miles when booking. You can also choose to pay partially with points and partially with cash.

Using travel portals is basically like using your points as cash back. You get a fixed value per point and you will also earn points/miles on your booking.

Credit card companies position their portals as the best way to use points. They want you to use the portals and stay within their ecosystem so that they can make money off of you.

To keep you on their site, they offer incentives that you can only get when using their portal. These incentives include the following:

• Travel credits – If you use the portal, many cards offer statement credits to offset your purchase. For example, the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card offers $50 USD hotel credit when booking through Chase Travel^SM, and the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card offers a $300 USD annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel.
• Increased rewards earning power – You’ll earn extra points/miles when using the portal. For example, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® cards both offer 10x on hotels and rental cars and 5x on flights when booked through their portals. For the Reserve, this higher earning rate kicks in after the $300 annual travel credit is used, and for the Venture X, you’ll also get 5x miles on vacation rentals that are booked through Capital One Travel.
• Increased point value – You’ll get a small boost in the number of points/miles you can cash in just by using the portal. For holders of Chase Sapphire cards, for example, 1 point becomes 1.25 or 1.5 points (with the Chase Sapphire Preferred or the Chase Sapphire Reserve, respectively) when booking through the portal. (While that seems like a great deal, you can usually get a much better value per point when transferring to travel partners, as I’ll get into below.)

Travel portals are easy and convenient. However, using them is usually not the best value for your points. What you get in simplicity and convenience you lose in the fixed redemption value that usually isn’t the best.
 

The Low-Down on Transfer Partners

On the flip side, you can transfer points from your account directly to the place where you want to book (such as an airline or hotel). While transferring your points to travel partners is a bit more work, you can get much more value out of your hard-earned points this way.

Only certain cards earn you transferable points though. For example, airline- and hotel-specific cards (such as the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card or the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card) only earn you points that can be used at that airline or hotel. They’re less valuable because they’re less flexible. Transferable points are valuable (and what you should aim to get), because they’re so flexible.

Here are a few types of transferable currencies and some cards that earn them:

• American Express Membership Rewards: The Platinum Card® from American Express, American Express® Gold Card, Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express.
• Chase Ultimate Rewards: the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve®, Chase Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card.
• Bilt Rewards: Bilt Mastercard®.
• Capital One miles: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card.
• Citi ThankYou Rewards: Citi Premier® Card.

Here’s a link to a list of my favorite card offers.

Each transferable currency has different travel partners (many overlap). Here are some of Chase’s travel partners, listed at the Chase Travel^SM site:

While the actual value you can get varies greatly based on the flight or hotel, a good benchmark is The Points Guy’s monthly valuation chart, which values most transferable currencies at over 2 cents per point when used as transferable points. That’s double what you’ll get on travel portals, and often you can get much more.

That’s because when transferring your points, you can also take advantage of transfer bonuses offered by credit cards and flash deals (such as Air France-KLM Flying Blue promo awards, which are monthly deals on award flights). These can be incredible deals, up to a 50% discount!

While finding award availability directly with airlines can seem overwhelming, the good news is that tools like Point.me (an award flight search tool) make it easier than ever.

Generally speaking, I always transfer my points. Doing so provides the best value and booking direct ensures that there is no third-party involved should there be an issue with my flight. Moreover, it takes a lot fewer points for a redemption this way. Let me tell you why in the next section.
 

Comparing Partners vs Portals: Which One Is Best for You?

Unless there is a super cheap flight or room (less than $150 USD), I always transfer points to travel partners, especially when booking business-class flights or nicer hotel rooms. You just get more bang for your buck.

For example, a business class flight from New York to Paris in peak season is 88,000 points on United each way (both Chase Ultimate Rewards and Bilt Rewards transfer to United). Those flights usually cost about $2,400 (though they can get as high as $5,000). If you had the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Bilt Rewards Card and booked through their respective portals, you would need 192,000 points (each point is worth 1.25 cents in either of these portals). That’s over double what you’d need when transferring your points to United booking directly.

Since most flight redemptions for economy start at 20,000 points (when transferring directly to airlines), you need to find a flight that’s less than $250 for it to be worth it to use the portal. This is when using the Chase Sapphire Reserve, Chase Sapphire Preferred, or the Bilt card, which offer you more than 1 cent per point when booking via their portals. For American Express or Capital One cards, you only get 1 cent per point/mile. That means you’d need to find a flight for $200 or less for it to make sense to use their portals.

For hotels and rental cars, it’s a little less black and white because you don’t always have transfer partners.

For example, I am booking hotels via the Chase Travel portal on an upcoming trip to Barcelona because there are no rooms bookable with points available. (You can only transfer points from credit cards to chains like Hyatt or Marriott.) Since hotels are $300 and up per night, I’m just using my points to save me money by booking with a non-chain hotel. I wouldn’t be able to book with points otherwise. This is the exception to the rule.

Here are some other cases in which using the portal is your best option:

• There are no award seats available on your desired flight (such as if you’re flying in peak season or during the holidays) or hotel (such as if you want to book a boutique hotel that is not bookable with points).
• You’re booking a rental car and want to use points (you can’t book rental cars directly via points).
• You’re chasing airline status and want to earn points on your booking.
• You simply won’t use your points otherwise.

About that last item: always consider your travel goals and determine whether the ease and convenience of using the portal is worth it to you. Using your points, regardless of how, is better than letting them sit around! Never stockpile your points. They get devalued all the time. So use them rather than lose them!

Travel portals can be an enticing way to use your points. They’re convenient, and banks give you incentives to use them. If you’re new to points and miles and just want a simple way to cash in your earnings, they are definitely an option. However, you can usually get much better value out of your points by transferring them directly to airlines or hotels. The fewer points you use per trip, the more points you have for more travel (or more points to fly/stay in luxury).

But the great thing is that you don’t have to choose either the portal or transferring to partners. You can mix and match depending on the best option at the time. So do a quick comparison and use points to book your next trip!
 

Stop paying full price for travel!

Download my free guide to points and miles and learn how to use points and miles for free travel! It's how all the pros travel so much! In this guide, I'll show you:

• How to Pick a Credit Card
• How to Earn Up to 10x Miles on Your Spending
• How to Redeem Your Points
• And a Ton of Other Money Saving Tips!

Get the guide

Non-Affiliate disclosure: All information about Chase Cards has been collected independently by Nomadicmatt. Chase Cards are no longer available through Nomadicmatt.

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The upgraded version of the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® is my one of my favorite premium cards. It offers a lot of fantastic perks for avid travelers.

While The Platinum Card® from American Express gets all the fanfare in terms of luxury rewards cards, I personally prefer the Chase Sapphire Reserve®. It comes with better points-earning bonus categories; more practical, everyday perks (which I’ll get into below); and more comprehensive travel insurance.

Today, I want to share a bit more about this card so you can determine whether it’s the right card for you.

What is the Chase Sapphire Reserve®?

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® (often referred to as CSR) is a travel rewards card issued by Chase. The card comes with a $550 USD annual fee and a host of benefits like lounge access, travel insurance, and an array of statement credits. When used right, these benefits can be worth much more than the annual fee.

One of those benefits is a $300 USD annual travel credit that is very easy to get, effectively reducing the annual fee to a more reasonable $250 USD. You don’t need to do anything extreme to receive this benefit either; the first $300 USD per year that you spend on travel is simply erased from your statement.

Chase also has a very broad definition of what it classifies as travel, making it easy to take advantage of this credit (even parking garages count towards it). According to Chase, they classify travel purchases as including:

“airlines, hotels, motels, timeshares, car rental agencies, cruise lines, travel agencies, discount travel sites, campgrounds and operators of passenger trains, buses, taxis, limousines, ferries, toll bridges and highways, and parking lots and garages.”

So, the first $300 USD of purchases you make in any of these categories will be removed from your statement, and after that, you’ll earn 3x points on these purchases.

And that’s just one benefit of the card. With this card, you can earn:

• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
• $300 annual travel credit
• 3x points on travel (after earning your $300 annual travel credit)
• 3x points on dining, including eligible delivery services and takeout
• 5x points on flights when booked through Chase Travel (after earning your $300 annual travel credit)
• 10x points on hotels and rental cars when booked through Chase Travel (after earning your $300 annual travel credit)
• Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel
• 10x points on Lyft (through March 2025) + 2-year Lyft Pink membership (activate by Dec 31, 2024)
• Priority Pass Membership (one-time enrollment required) and access to Sapphire Lounges by The Club
• Up to $120 credit toward Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA Pre-Check every 4 years
• Complimentary DashPass membership (activate by December 31, 2027)
• Travel insurance including emergency medical and dental coverage, emergency evacuation insurance, trip delay coverage, primary car rental insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, and trip cancellation insurance
• No foreign transaction fees

Chase Sapphire Reserve® Travel Insurance

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® also offers the most comprehensive travel insurance out of any credit card and is one of the only ones to include any kind of medical insurance. It’s my top pick as the best credit card for travel insurance.

As a Visa Infinite® card, the card’s travel insurance includes the following:

• Primary car rental insurance up to $75,000 USD
• Travel accident insurance up to $1,000,000 USD
• Trip cancelation/interruption coverage up to $10,000 USD per person and $20,000 USD per trip
• Trip delay coverage of $500 USD after delays of six hours or more
• Lost luggage coverage up to $3,000 USD
• $100 per day for up to five days if your baggage is delayed
• Emergency medical and dental coverage up to $2,500 USD for treatment (minus a $50 USD deductible)
• Emergency evacuation insurance up to $100,000 USD

While I always recommend purchasing a separate travel insurance policy, having coverage through your credit card is an added benefit that you get at no additional cost.

Using Your Chase Ultimate Rewards® Points

With this card, you’ll earn Chase Ultimate Rewards® points. You can use those points like you would any other rewards program: to get cash back, book travel directly, or transfer them to travel partners. You can also redeem them for Amazon or Apple purchases, but these are bad redemption values and I would not recommend using points this way.

The easiest option is to redeem your points for travel in the Chase Travel portal, which works like booking through Expedia or any other online travel agency. When you do this, you’re basically using your points as cash, at a value of 1.5 cents per point. So, for example, if you have 50,000 points, they’ll be worth 75,000 points when redeemed through the portal. This is a better value than if you simply redeem your points directly as cash, as you’ll only get a value of 1 cent per point that way.

Using your points in the Chase Travel portal is very straightforward, making it an attractive option for points and miles newbies. If this is the only way that you’ll use your points, then using them is better than letting them sit around!

Just know that there are pros and cons to using the travel portal. Namely, you can usually get more for your points when you transfer them to Chase’s 14 transfer partners (which is what you should be doing with your points).

Taking Advantage of Chase’s Transfer Partners

The ability to transfer to its partners is what makes Chase Ultimate Rewards® points so valuable. You can usually find airline and hotel redemptions where you can get much more than 1.5 cents per point. While the actual value you can get varies greatly based on flight or hotel, a good benchmark is The Points Guy’s monthly valuation chart, which values Chase Ultimate Rewards® points at over 2 cents per point when used as transferable points.

To give a real-life example, the 50,000 points from the example above could be an off-peak, round-trip economy fare from New York to Paris when redeemed through the Chase Travel portal. But if you transfer points to one of Chase’s partner airlines, you can take advantage of flash deals and saver space, potentially finding the same fare for up to 50% less points. Unless it’s a super cheap flight or hotel room (less than $150 USD), I always transfer points to their travel partners, especially when booking business class flights or fancy hotel rooms. You just get more bang for your buck.

Transferring to airline and hotel partners is a bit more work than using the portal, but there are more tools than ever to help you maximize your points. For example, you can use point.me for finding flights with points and Awayz for finding award hotel stays.

Chase’s current transfer partners are:

Airline Transfer Partners:

• Aer Lingus, AerClub
• Air Canada Aeroplan
• British Airways Executive Club
• Emirates Skywards®
• Flying Blue AIR FRANCE KLM
• Iberia Plus
• JetBlue TrueBlue
• Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
• Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards®
• United MileagePlus®
• Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

Hotel Travel Partners:

• IHG® Rewards Club
• Marriott Bonvoy®
• World of Hyatt®

Chase Sapphire Reserve® vs Chase Sapphire Preferred®

By this point, you might be wondering what makes this card different from its sibling, the Chase Sapphire Preferred®. Both cards currently have the same welcome offer. Both also earn 3x points on dining. You also get travel insurance with both cards, though the insurance offered with the Reserve is much more comprehensive.

Given all that, is the Reserve really worth the higher annual fee?

Ultimately, that’s up to you to decide based on your spending, travel habits, and whether you value the Reserve’s extra perks and benefits. But keep in mind that the real difference in cost between these two cards is only $155 USD per year. Sure, that’s considering the $300 USD annual travel credit on the Reserve, but I’m guessing that anyone thinking of getting a travel rewards card spends at least $300 USD on travel per year. And if you do, you’re likely to come out ahead with the Chase Sapphire Reserve® due to the ability to earn points faster, use statement credits, and take advantage of luxury perks like airport lounge access.

Here’s a quick cheat sheet of the main differences:

Pros of the Chase Sapphire Reserve®

• Great rewards-earning rates
• Large welcome offer
• $300 USD travel credit
• 14 fantastic transfer partners
• Excellent travel insurance
• Statement credit for Global Entry/TSA Precheck (up to $120, every 4 years)
• Airport lounge access through Priority Pass membership (enrollment required) and access to Sapphire lounges
• Complimentary memberships (including Lyft Pink through March 2025, DashPass when you activate by December 31, 2027)
• No foreign transaction fees

Cons of the Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Who Is the Chase Sapphire Reserve® For?

This card is best for frequent travelers. If you get this card, you’ll want to be able take advantage of the card’s accelerated earning rates on travel and dining, travel statement credits, and other travel-specific benefits. You’ll get even more out of this card if you value perks like airport lounge access and expediting your airport experience through Global Entry/TSA Precheck, and will transfer your points to one of Chase’s transfer partners.

If you’re only a semi-regular traveler, you might be better served by the Chase Sapphire Preferred®. This comprehensive review has everything you need to know about that card.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is one of the best travel rewards cards out there. It comes with a high welcome offer, lots of perks, and robust points-earning capabilities so that you can quickly stack up valuable Chase Ultimate Rewards points. You get a ton of value with this card. I think it’s worth a spot in the wallet of any frequent traveler.

Stop paying full price for travel!

Download my free guide to points and miles and learn how to use points and miles for free travel! It's how all the pros travel so much! In this guide, I'll show you:

• How to Pick a Credit Card
• How to Earn Up to 10x Miles on Your Spending
• How to Redeem Your Points
• And a Ton of Other Money Saving Tips!

Get the guide

Non-Affiliate disclosure: All information about The Chase Sapphire Reserve® has been collected independently by Nomadic Matt. The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is no longer available through Nomadic Matt.

The post The Chase Sapphire Reserve® Review appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

Since its launch in 2009, the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card has been winning awards for being one of the best travel rewards cards.

And for good reason – you can’t really go wrong with this card. It always has a solid welcome offer, great ongoing rewards rates, valuable transferrable points, and a host of perks, such as comprehensive travel insurance.

Unlike a lot of travel cards, which continue to roll back benefits and increase annual fees, the Chase Sapphire Preferred continues to get better with age. Over the years, Chase has increased some of its earning categories and added perks to the card, all without upping the annual fee.

Because of all this, the Chase Sapphire Preferred remains one of my favorite travel cards, especially if you’re looking for your first travel rewards card. I use it often.

Today, I want to share a bit more about it so you can determine whether it’s the right card for you!

What is the Chase Sapphire Preferred®?

The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (often referred to as CSP) is a travel rewards card issued by Chase. The card comes with a $95 USD annual fee and a host of benefits.

This card offers:

• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
• 2x points on travel purchases
• 3x points on restaurants, eligible delivery services and takeout, online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs), and select streaming services
• 5x points on travel purchased through Chase Travel^(SM)
• 5x points on Lyft (through March 2025)
• 10% anniversary points boost (earn bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases made the previous year)
• Complimentary DoorDash DashPass subscription for one year (when you activate by Dec. 31, 2027)
• $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit
• Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel
• No foreign transaction fees

Using Your Chase Ultimate Rewards® Points

With this card, you’ll earn Chase Ultimate Rewards® points. You can use those points like you would any other rewards program: to get cash back, book travel directly, or transfer them to travel partners. (You can also redeem them for Amazon or Apple purchases, but these are bad redemption values and I would not recommend using points this way.)

The easiest option is to redeem your points for travel in the Chase Travel portal, which works like booking through Expedia or any other online travel agency. When you do this, you’re basically using your points as cash, at a value of 1.25 cents per point. That means that if you have 20,000 points, they’ll be worth 25,000 points when redeemed through the portal (which is a better value than if you simply redeem your points directly as cash, as you’ll only get a value of 1 cent per point that way). Just know that there are pros and cons to using the travel portal.

On the plus side, using your points in the Chase Travel portal is very straightforward, making it an attractive option for points and miles newbies. If this is the only way that you’ll use your points, then using them is better than letting them sit around!

However, you can usually get more for your points when you transfer them to Chase’s 14 transfer partners.
 

Taking Advantage of Chase’s Travel Partners

The ability to transfer to travel partners is what makes Chase Ultimate Rewards® points truly valuable. You can usually find airline and hotel redemptions where you can get much more than 1.25 cents per point. While the actual value you can get varies greatly based on flight or hotel, a good benchmark is The Points Guy’s monthly valuation chart, which values Chase Ultimate Rewards® points at over 2 cents per point when used as transferable points. That’s almost double what you’ll get in the portal!

To give a real-life example, the 25,000 points from the example above could be an off-peak economy fare from New York to Paris when redeemed through the portal. But if you transfer points to one of Chase’s partner airlines, you can take advantage of flash deals and saver space, potentially finding the same fare for up to 50% less points. Unless it’s a super cheap flight or room (less than $150 USD), I always transfer points to their travel partners, especially when booking business class flights or fancy hotel rooms. You just get more bang for your buck.

Transferring to travel partners is indeed a bit more work than using the portal, but there are more tools than ever to help you maximize your points (use point.me for finding flights with points and Awayz for finding award hotel stays).

Chase’s current transfer partners are:

Airline Travel Partners

• Aer Lingus, AerClub
• Air Canada Aeroplan
• British Airways Executive Club
• Emirates Skywards®
• Flying Blue AIR FRANCE KLM
• Iberia Plus
• JetBlue TrueBlue
• Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
• Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards®
• United MileagePlus®
• Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

Hotel Travel Partners

• IHG® Rewards Club
• Marriott Bonvoy®
• World of Hyatt®

Other Perks and Benefits of the Chase Sapphire Preferred

While earning valuable transferable points is the biggest reason to get this card, there are quite a few other great perks and benefits.

A big one is travel insurance (it’s one of the best credit cards for travel insurance). While I always recommend purchasing a separate travel insurance policy, having coverage through your credit card is an added benefit that you get at no additional cost. Some of its benefits include trip cancellation and interruption protection, trip and baggage delay coverage, and travel accident coverage (be sure to read the fine print for specifics).

Additionally, this card comes with a variety of statement credits and memberships, including a complimentary one-year DashPass membership (activate by Dec. 31, 2027) and an annual $50 USD hotel credit when booking through Chase Travel^(SM).
 

Pros of the Chase Sapphire Preferred

• Great rewards-earning rates
• Large welcome offer
• Low annual fee ($95 USD)
• 14 fantastic transfer partners
• Solid travel insurance
• Statement credits and complimentary memberships
• No foreign transaction fees

Cons of the Chase Sapphire Preferred

• Must use Chase’s Travel Portal to take advantage of some benefits ($50 USD hotel credit, 5x points on travel booked through Chase)

Who Is This Card For?

This card is best for points and miles beginners as well as infrequent travelers, both of whom may not want to shell out for a high annual fee. The $95 USD annual fee is easy to recoup with the card’s great earning rates, anniversary points boost, and other benefits.

That being said, this card is especially geared toward travelers and restaurant-goers since it offers 2x points spent on travel, 3x points on dining (including takeout and delivery), and 5x points on Lyft rides.

And while more frequent travelers may prefer more premium credit cards (like the Preferred’s big sibling, the Chase Sapphire Reserve®), you can also pursue a more advanced points and miles strategy with this card by pairing it with two other Chase cards to create the powerful “Chase Trifecta.” By using three Chase cards in tandem (usually a Sapphire card, the Chase Freedom Flex®, and the Chase Freedom Unlimited®, although you could do this with business cards too), you maximize earning categories.

This ensures that you’re always earning the most points per dollar possible, which is key to any good points and miles strategy. (While this may be too much for beginners to juggle, it’s a good way to grow while still keeping this card.)
 

Who Is This Card Not For?

As with any credit card, you should not get this card if you’re already carrying a balance or plan to carry a balance. Interest rates for travel credit cards are notoriously high, and the Chase Sapphire Preferred is no different. The points just aren’t worth it if you’re paying interest each month.

This card is also not for anyone with poor credit, as you need good or excellent credit to qualify. (If that’s you, check out the best credit cards for bad credit so you can start improving your score today.)

Lastly, this card does count toward Chase’s 5/24 rule (you can’t open more than five cards within 24 months). So if you’ve already opened five cards within the past two years (or want to open more soon), you might want to skip this one for now.

Whenever someone asks me which card to open as their first travel credit card, the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is always at the top of my list. It’s an excellent and easy-to-use card, with a lot of perks that greatly outweigh the annual fee. If you’re looking for the perfect introduction to the world of points and miles, look no further. Grab this card so you can start earning points today towards free travel tomorrow!
 

Stop paying full price for travel!

Download my free guide to points and miles and learn how to use points and miles for free travel! It's how all the pros travel so much! In this guide, I'll show you:

• How to Pick a Credit Card
• How to Earn Up to 10x Miles on Your Spending
• How to Redeem Your Points
• And a Ton of Other Money Saving Tips!

Get the guide

Non-Affiliate disclosure: All information about The Chase Sapphire Preferred® has been collected independently by Nomadic Matt. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® is no longer available through Nomadic Matt.

The post The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card Review appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

While I didn’t take my first international trip until after I graduated college (I went to Costa Rica when I was 23), being a college student doesn’t mean you have to skip out on travel. From studying abroad to gap years to spring break trips, there are a lot of ways to travel while in school.

However, students usually don’t have a lot of money which makes affording trips abroad challenging.

Fortunately, there are lots of ways to save for a trip on a budget. One of the best ways to do this is by getting a rewards credit card.

Since students don’t have a credit history and may not have an income yet, it will be hard to get approved for the travel credit cards with the most rewards.

The good news is that banks know this, and many have created cards specifically designed for students. These are easier to get approved for (banks don’t expect you to have a credit history as a student), so that you can start building credit and using those rewards to help you travel for cheap!

Here’s my list of the best credit cards for students:

MY TOP PICK: Capital One Savor Student Cash Rewards Credit Card

Capital One has some of the best travel credit cards out there, and they offer several fantastic student options too. This card has several bonus categories in which you can earn even more for your purchases, including 3% cash back on dining and grocery purchases. It also has no foreign transaction fees, $0 annual fee, and even offers travel accident insurance. This is a really comprehensive student card and my top pick.

Here’s a look at the main benefits of the card:

• Earn a one-time $50 cash bonus once you spend $100 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
• 3% cash back at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), on dining, entertainment and popular streaming services
• 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• 8% cash back on entertainment purchases when you book through the Capital One Entertainment portal
• Travel accident insurance
• No foreign transaction fees
• $0 annual fee

 
If you want a more straightforward card, Capital One also offers the Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card. It offers nearly all the same benefits, except instead of the different bonus categories, you’ll get an unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases. The Quicksilver also comes in a secured version if you can’t get approved for an unsecured card.

Bank of America Travel Rewards Student Credit Card

If you’re looking for something simple and easy to use, this is it. This card offers an unlimited 1.5 points earned per dollar spent, as well as the biggest signup bonus out of any card designed for students. The 25,000 bonus points that you can earn by spending $1,000 USD in the first 90 days (that’s roughly $333 USD per month) can be converted into $250 USD worth of travel/dining when wiped from your statement as a credit.

With this card, you’ll get:

• 25,000 Online Bonus Points after making $1,000 USD in purchases in the first 90 days
• Unlimited 1.5 points per $1 USD spent on all purchases
• No foreign transaction fees
• $0 annual fee

Tips for Getting a Credit Card as a Student

Getting your first card can be a bit intimidating as you may not know how credit cards work. But it doesn’t have to be.

Using credit cards responsibly starts with building healthy habits. As long as you pay off your entire balance each month, your regular purchases can work for you, earning rewards that can be used for future travel.

It’s a good idea to start building credit as soon as you can, not only to reap the benefits of rewards cards but also to establish a lengthy credit history that can help you in other aspects of life. At some point in the future, you may want to buy a house, lease a car, apply for a business loan, or do other activities that require a credit check. (Some apartments and even some jobs require it.) So the earlier you start building a credit history, the better.

Certain credit cards are specifically designed for students, with an easier approval process that requires no credit history and lower spending limits that are in line with the limited (or nonexistent) income of a student.

Requirements for student cards may include:

• Proof of enrollment
• If under 21, an income source (e.g., part-time job, scholarship, or grant)
• A minimum age of 18
• A Social Security number
• US citizenship or permanent residency

Note: Student cards are designed for people with no credit. If you’re rebuilding your credit, check out the best credit cards for those with bad credit.

Frequently Asked Questions About Credit Cards for Students

How do I get a credit card as a student?
Getting a credit card can be as simple as applying for cards geared towards students, like those listed above. Many even offer a pre-approval process, meaning you can see if you’ll be approved without having an impact on your score. You can also contact your local bank or credit union for information, as they may have a card for you as well.

Can I get a credit card if I’m a full-time student?
Yes! The cards above (along with many others) are geared toward students, even if you’re studying full-time.

At what age can students get a credit card?
Students can start applying for credit cards at the age of 18, though requirements can make it difficult to be approved (you’ll have to prove independent income). Your best option for building credit if you’re between the ages of 18 and 21 is to get either a secured credit card or a student credit card. You can also become an authorized user on someone else’s card.

After age 21, restrictions fall away, and it becomes easier to get a regular, unsecured credit card.

Can I get a credit card as a student with no income?
If you’re under 21, you’ll have to prove independent income. However, depending on the card issuer, they may accept student loans, grants, or scholarships as proof of income. If you have someone who can co-sign for you, some credit card issuers may allow a co-signer’s income to count toward approval.

What happens to my student card when I graduate?
Most student credit cards have a non-student version. In many cases, when you graduate, your account, along with its limits and history, will simply be converted to that option. In other cases, you’ll want to upgrade or open a new account. But even if you open other cards and don’t use that account as much, you’ll want to keep it open to maintain the length of your credit history.

Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to wait until you graduate college to start building a credit history and earning rewards. Not only will a card help you earn cheap (or free) travel, but you’ll learn how credit cards work and establish healthy financial habits that will help you throughout your life!

Stop paying full price for travel!

Download my free guide to points and miles and learn how to use points and miles for free travel! It's how all the pros travel so much! In this guide, I'll show you:

• How to Pick a Credit Card
• How to Earn Up to 10x Miles on Your Spending
• How to Redeem Your Points
• And a Ton of Other Money Saving Tips!

Get the guide

The post The Best Credit Cards for Students Who Want to Travel appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

I talk a lot about travel insurance on this website. I know it’s not an exciting topic, but it’s the one thing I won’t leave home without.

Travel insurance has saved me — and my readers — time and time again. I’ve had my gear broken and stolen, missed flights, needed doctor’s appointments, and even needed urgent medical care abroad.

I’ve learned the hard way how vital it is — especially as a budget traveler.

Fortunately, these days, many credit cards come with travel insurance. And while I always recommend that you get comprehensive travel insurance in addition, there are a number of cards out that offer pretty robust protection at no additional cost.

If you’re thinking about getting a new credit card, or if you want to know which of your current ones you can rely on for decent insurance, here’s a list of the best credit cards with travel insurance:

How Credit Card Travel Insurance Works

Travel protection offered by credit cards does not cost anything extra, although nearly all of the cards that offer such insurance — with one notable exception (see below) — come with an annual fee.

It’s one of the many reasons that getting a card with an annual fee is worth it (and why I think that avoiding cards with annual fees is one of the biggest mistakes you can make when using credit cards for travel). If something goes wrong while you’re on the road and your card’s insurance pays for it, you’ll more than recoup the annual fee right there.

The most important thing to know is that for the insurance to kick in, you must have paid for your trip using that card. However, once you do that, you’ll be covered.

While the payout limits vary greatly, as do the conditions that need to be met before coverage kicks in, these are general categories that credit card travel insurance usually covers:

• Trip delay: covers meals, lodging, and other expenses if your trip is delayed at least six hours (for some cards, it must be at least 12)
• Trip cancelation and interruption: reimburses trip costs if a covered reason (such as death in the family) causes you to cancel your trip or go home early
• Rental car insurance: in the event of an accident, covers damage to the car; injuries are not covered (primary insurance kicks in before any other insurance, while if the card offers secondary insurance, you’ll have to file with your own car insurance first)
• Baggage: covers delay of, loss of, or damage to your baggage
• Accident insurance: in the case of death or dismemberment, you or your beneficiaries will receive a payout

While these are categories that credit cards with the best travel insurance generally include, always read the fine print of your coverage no matter what. There’s a lot in there that can change what you’re eligible for, such as what state you live in, the length of your trip, and more.

With that in mind, here are the best credit cards for travel insurance and what they cover:
 

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

A few years ago, Capital One overhauled its cards, and the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card now competes with the top brands. That includes offering some of the best travel protection around. You’ll also get a generous welcome offer, lounge access, travel credits, and a solid earning structure. It also offers particularly unique features: you’ll earn 2x miles on every purchase, and there’s no additional cost for up to four authorized users.

The Venture X offers these protections:

• Travel accident insurance up to $1,000,000 USD
• Primary car rental insurance up to $75,000 USD
• Trip cancelation and interruption coverage up to $2,000 USD per person, per trip
• Up to $500 USD when travel is delayed by six hours or more
• Lost luggage up to $3,000 USD
• Cell phone protection up to $800 USD for repair or replacement (minus a $50 USD deductible)

If you don’t want to pay the $395 USD annual fee for the Venture X, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card offers solid travel protection at a lower annual fee ($95 USD), though without some significant benefits, like trip interruption, cancelation, or delay insurance.
 

The Bilt Mastercard®

The Bilt Mastercard® is the only credit card that allows you to earn points by paying your rent, on up to 100,000 points per year. It also offers the best travel insurance you can get on a card with no annual fee.

Since Bilt is a World Elite Mastercard, you’ll get access to that suite of travel insurance benefits. Notably, it doesn’t have accident insurance or medical coverage, so you’ll want to purchase additional travel insurance that does.

Bilt’s travel insurance includes the following:

• Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver: reimbursement for covered damage to or theft of your rental car
• Trip Cancellation and Interruption Protection: reimbursement for nonrefundable common carrier tickets in the case of trip cancellation
• Trip Delay Reimbursement: reimbursement for eligible expenses incurred if your trip is delayed over six hours
• Cellular Telephone Protection up to $800 USD against damage or theft (subject to a $25 USD deductible)

The Platinum Card® from American Express

At $695 USD per year (see rates and fees), the Platinum Card from American Express has the highest annual fee of any consumer travel card out there, but that doesn’t necessarily translate to better benefits across the board.

However, the Platinum offers emergency evacuation and medical transport coverage (with no limit on cost), which can be huge if you end up needing to take advantage of it. Evacuation and transport costs can be incredibly expensive, costing upwards of $250,000 USD!

It also offers the best lounge access of any travel card, elite status benefits, travel perks, special hotel discounts, and luxury goods and service credits.

The Platinum Card’s protections include the following:

• Trip cancelation and interruption coverage of $10,000 USD per person, per trip (on round-trip tickets only, $20,000 per 12 consecutive month period)
• Trip delay coverage up to $500 USD if six hours or more (on round-trip tickets only, 2 claims per card per 12 consecutive month period)
• Emergency evacuation and medical transport coverage: no limit; must be coordinated via the Premium Global Assist Hotline
• Cell phone protection up to $800 USD minus a $50 USD deductible
• Lost luggage coverage up to $3,000 USD per person
• Secondary car rental coverage

Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.
 

How to Use Your Credit Card’s Travel Insurance

Ensuring that you’re covered for your trip is pretty easy. Just follow these steps:

1. Use your card (or points associated with that card) to pay for your trip (flights, rental cars, hotels, etc.).
2. Keep all receipts, and take photos of everything if you need to file a claim (just in case).
3. Submit your claim ASAP if you need to file one.
4. Always read the fine print!

Frequently Asked Questions About Credit Card Travel Insurance

Do Visa credit cards come with travel insurance?
Premium Visa cards come with travel insurance, and several on this list are Visa cards. Visa Platinum, Visa Signature, Visa Infinite, Visa Platinum Business, and Visa Signature Business Premium all offer some form of travel insurance. Coverage varies based on the type of card you choose.

Do credit cards automatically have travel insurance?
No, which is why it’s important to know which ones do so that you can use the right card when paying for your trip. Most premium travel credit cards come with some form of insurance, but coverage does vary. Always read the fine print!

What’s the difference between credit card insurance and travel insurance?
There is a lot of overlap between the two, such as trip and baggage delay coverage, trip cancelation/interruption coverage, and car rental insurance. The main difference is that standard travel insurance policies offer more comprehensive medical coverage. That’s why I always buy travel insurance before I go abroad.

How do you submit a claim for credit card insurance?
Every card’s process is a bit different, but generally, you’ll need to file your claim online, including all supporting documentation. You can call the hotline on your card to get more information and to open a claim as well.

Does credit card insurance cover missed flights?
It depends on the reason. Covered reasons (which depend on the card) often include a delayed flight that makes you miss your connection or an issue with your airplane or airline. But if you missed your 6am flight because you overslept, you’re out of luck.

If you’re deciding on which credit card is best for travel insurance, take a hard look at your needs so that you get the one that suits you best. But no matter what card you get, I still recommend getting a comprehensive travel insurance policy to cover you for medical mishaps that may happen on the road. That way you’re protected no matter what happens.
 

Stop paying full price for travel!

Download my free guide to points and miles and learn how to use points and miles for free travel! It's how all the pros travel so much! In this guide, I'll show you:

• How to Pick a Credit Card
• How to Earn Up to 10x Miles on Your Spending
• How to Redeem Your Points
• And a Ton of Other Money Saving Tips!

Get the guide

The post The Best Credit Cards for Travel Insurance appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.