• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Start Here
  • Work with David
  • Our Services
  • Contact
Young Adult Money

Make more. Save more. Live better.

  • Blog
  • Credit Cards
    • Rewards
    • Cash Back
    • Travel
    • Airlines
    • Hotels
    • Balance Transfer
    • Student
    • Business
  • FREE Budget Spreadsheet
  • FREE Student Loan Spreadsheet
This Just In... Check out the latest travel rewards credit card offers

Top Travel Rewards Credit Cards December 2022

By David Carlson / Last updated: December 27, 2022 / Credit Cards, Lifestyle, Millennials, Personal Finance, Review, Save Money, Travel

We may receive compensation from companies mentioned within this post via affiliate links. Read our full advertiser disclosure. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities.
Pin309
Share16
Tweet1
Email
Buffer24
Share
350 Shares

 
We have saved thousands of dollars on travel the past seven years from using rewards from our travel credit cards. If you want to travel more by savings money on flights, hotels, and other travel costs, check out our picks for the top travel rewards credit cards. Remember, these could save you hundreds or even thousands on travel!Nine out of ten of the people I talk to have a goal of traveling more.

This isn’t surprising. We are inundated with Instagram pics of people visiting cool locations all over the world.

In Minnesota where we have brutal winters, a pic from a beach can instantly cause wanderlust (and jealousy).

The main thing keeping people from traveling is money.

I can relate: my wife and I graduated undergrad with $100k in student loan debt.

Even if you have little or no debt there is a never-ending list of things you need money for: rent, a down payment on a house, health care, retirement, pets, emergency fund…the list goes on.

Travel is something we wanted to prioritize after college. But we also wanted to hit other personal finance goals, including building an emergency fund which is no small feat.

One of the benefits of being a personal finance blogger is that I am exposed to many different ways to save money. The more I learned about credit card rewards, the more I realized that they could help make our travel goals possible.

Travel rewards credit cards oftentimes come with a “welcome” bonus, such as “get 50,000 miles if you spend $3,000 on your credit card within the first three months of signing up.” Those welcome bonuses can really pay off because they translate to hundreds of dollars of savings through a statement credit or through free flights.

Browse all travel rewards credit card offers

Travel will always cost money, but if you can knock out a big expense like flights it can make travel much more realistic for your budget. My wife and I have paid for maybe two flights over the past five years, and we still have miles saved up for future travel expenses.

 
Railay Beach Young Adult Money Thailand Travel Credit Cards

We’ve been fortunate to use our credit card rewards to visit Vietnam, Thailand, St. Martin, Aruba, and many places around the United States. We are already planning our next trip (Japan!). Where will you go with your travel credit card rewards?

 
A quick note: If you are currently in credit card debt I recommend not signing up for these cards. The amount you pay in interest will outweigh any potential benefits. Instead, read my post about what to do if you are in credit card debt.

 

OUR TOP CHOICE: Chase Sapphire Preferred

 
Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card 2020 Young Adult MoneyThe Chase Sapphire Preferred has been one of the top credit cards on the market for some time now.

One positive of this card is the fact that there are so many partner programs that you can transfer your 60,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards® to. The points transfer 1:1 to the following programs:

  • United MileagePlus®
  • British Airways Executive Club
  • Aer Lingus, AerClub
  • Emirates Skywards®
  • Flying Blue AIR FRANCE KLM
  • Iberia Plus
  • Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
  • Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards®
  • Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
  • IHG® Rewards Club
  • Marriott Bonvoy™
  • World of Hyatt®

Both my wife and I have signed up for this card and we transferred the points to our United MileagePlus® account. You don’t have to transfer your points to get value out of this card, though: the 60,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards® bonus points are redeemable for $750 on the Chase portal.

Bonus: 60,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards® bonus points

How to Unlock the Bonus: Spend $4,000 within the first 3 months of account opening

What the Bonus can be Used for: Redeemable for $750 through Chase Ultimate Rewards® or transfer 1:1 with partner travel rewards programs

Annual Fee: $95 (NOT waived the first year)

Learn How to Apply for the Chase Sapphire Preferred

 

Other Top Cards

 

Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card

 
Venture from Capital One Credit Card 2020The Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card is one of the best travel rewards credit cards because of how flexible its rewards are.

This card offers $500 towards any travel-related cost after you spend $3,000 within the first 3 months of account opening.

This card is great because of its simplicity. You know exactly what you are getting with this card and you don’t have to limit yourself to specific companies or brands when redeeming your rewards.

An extra perk with this card is that you will receive up to $100 application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre✔®.

Bonus: 50,000 bonus miles

How to Unlock the Bonus: Spend $3,000 within the first 3 months

What the Bonus can be Used for: Redeemable for $500 in travel-related expenses

Annual Fee: $95 (waived for the first year)

Learn How to Apply for the Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card

 

Chase Sapphire Reserve

 
Chase Sapphire Reserve Credit Card 2020 Young Adult MoneyThe Chase Sapphire Reserve is a popular credit card, but it does come with a hefty price tag: a $550 annual fee.

Typically a card with a $550 annual fee wouldn’t be worth getting for anyone other than those who travel frequently. But one nice thing that comes with this card is a $300 annual travel expense credit. Assuming you will for sure have at least $300 in travel-related costs each year, the effective cost of the card is $150. Some of the other benefits of the card, such as lounge access and built-in trip insurance, can make the card annual fee worth the cost.

Similar to the Chase Sapphire Preferred, the Chase Ultimate Rewards® points transfer 1:1 to the following programs:

  • United MileagePlus®
  • British Airways Executive Club
  • Aer Lingus, AerClub
  • Emirates Skywards®
  • Flying Blue AIR FRANCE KLM
  • Iberia Plus
  • Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
  • Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards®
  • Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
  • IHG® Rewards Club
  • Marriott Bonvoy™
  • World of Hyatt®

There are a couple additional perks worth pointing out. Chase will reimburse your expense for a TSA pre-check or global entry account up to $100, and they also provide you with one-year complimentary access to a network of over 900 airport lounges.

I signed up for global entry, which includes TSA Pre-Check, and it was so worth it. The first time I used it was a trip to NYC. I checked in online from home so I didn’t have to wait to print a boarding pass. Even with checking a bag it was under 10 minutes from stepping out of the car to being past security. I highly recommend it even for casual travelers.

Bonus: 50,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards® bonus points; $300 annual travel credit; Credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre-Check application

How to Unlock the Bonus: Spend $4,000 within the first 3 months of account opening

What the Bonus can be Used for: Redeemable for $750 through Chase Ultimate Rewards® or transfer 1:1 with partner travel rewards programs

Annual Fee: $550 (NOT waived the first year)

Learn How to Apply for the Chase Sapphire Reserve

 

Airline Credit Cards

 

United Explorer Card

 
United Explorer Credit Card ReviewThe United Explorer Card is a great card to have if you plan on flying United or if you either already signed up or plan on signing up for the Chase Sapphire Reserve® or the Chase Sapphire Preferred.

This has been my airline of choice the past few years because of how many miles you can rack up when you transfer Chase Rewards points 1:1. My wife and I have amassed over 300,000 miles and have used it to travel to Florida, St. Martin, and New York City. United is an ideal airline to have miles for because of the sheer number of locations they fly to.

Like most airline cards you will get free checked bags, but unlike other airline cards you will also get a pair of passes each year to the United lounge. I’ve taken full advantage of this perk over the past few years and it can make a layover at the airport a bit more tolerable.

Bonus: 40,000 United MileagePlus® Miles

How to Unlock the Bonus: Spend $2,000 within the first 3 months

What the Bonus can be Used for: Flights on United Airlines

Annual Fee: $95 (waived the first year)

Learn How to Apply for the United Explorer Card

 

Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card

 
Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express CardThe Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card has standard rewards you should expect from an airline credit card: first bag checked free (for everyone in your reservation) and priority boarding.

While there are other benefits such as no foreign transaction fees, the real draw of this credit card is the welcome offer.

Earn up to 70,000 bonus miles. Earn 60,000 bonus miles after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months. Plus, earn an additional 10,000 bonus miles after your first anniversary of Card Membership.

When you apply for the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card and spend $2,000 within the first 3 months of account opening, you earn 60,000 Bonus Miles. You can also earn an additional 10,000 bonus miles after your first anniversary of Card Membership.

Welcome Offer: 60,000 Bonus Miles

How to Unlock the Welcome Offer: Spend $2,000 within the first 3 months; also earn an additional 10,000 bonus miles after your first anniversary of Card Membership.

What the Welcome Offer can be Used for: Delta SkyMiles

Annual Fee: $99 (waived for the first year)

Learn How to Apply for the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card

 

Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Plus

 
Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card 2020The Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Plus card is an airline card, and airline cards typically come with free checked bags. This card is no different, with first and second checked bags flying free.

But the main draw of this card is the 40,000 Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards points, along with the potential of gaining their coveted Companion Pass. The Companion Pass allows you to book a designated companion’s flight for free, regardless of whether you pay with points or cash.

To get the Companion Pass you have to earn 110,000 Rapid Rewards points in a calendar year. This card will get you 40,000 (or 41,000 if you include the 1,000 you will get when you spend your $1,000 to get the bonus). If you get the Chase Sapphire Preferred and transfer over those 50,000 points you are even closer. Note: as of January 2020 you will need to earn 125,000 qualifying points to earn the companion pass.

Bonus: 40,000 Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards® points

How to Unlock the Bonus: Spend $1,000 within the first 3 months of account opening

What the Bonus can be Used for: Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards

Annual Fee: $69 (NOT waived the first year)

Learn How to Apply for the Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Plus credit card

_________________________________________

There are a ton of travel reward credit cards with great bonuses. Using these cards alone could potentially save you thousands of dollars on travel.

Other Posts that Will Help You Save Money on Travel:

  • Chase Ultimate Rewards: Our Simple Guide to Maximizing Your Points
  • Tips for Making Travel More Affordable: Save Thousands on Travel
  • What to Expect When Using AirBnB for the First Time

 
We have saved thousands of dollars on travel the past seven years from using rewards from our travel credit cards. If you want to travel more by savings money on flights, hotels, and other travel costs, check out our picks for the top travel rewards credit cards. Remember, these could save you hundreds or even thousands on travel!

 
 

Check out some of our favorite personal finance resources:

Are you getting the best credit card rewards? Check out the top cash back credit card offers (updated daily)

Make extra money: 15 ways to make money from your computer

  • Get our FREE Automated Budget Spreadsheet and our Student Loan Spreadsheet

Get the First Chapter Free!

Student Loan Solution Cover - 3D

Join our online community and get the first chapter of the book Student Loan Solution absolutely FREE!

Pin309
Share16
Tweet1
Email
Buffer24
Share
350 Shares

David Carlson

David Carlson is the founder of Young Adult Money. He is a nationally recognized speaker and the author of Student Loan Solution (2019) and Hustle Away Debt (2016). His opinions have been featured on such media outlets as The New York Times, The Washington Post, Cheddar, NBC's KARE11, and more.
Connect:

Comments Policy

Comments, responses, and other user-generated content is not provided or commissioned by this site or our advertisers. Responses have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by this website or its advertisers. It is not the responsibility of advertisers or this website to ensure that all comments and/or questions are answered. With all that being said, please comment away!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. giulia says

    Interesting, also if are good I opted for a prepaid card for my travels so I’m sure about amount of money is inside and the amount I can spend on it, plus no interests in any way…however these cards seems good!

Primary Sidebar

Credit Cards

  • Best Travel Rewards Cards
  • Best Balance Transfer Cards
  • Best Cash Back Credit Cards
  • Best Business And Side Hustle Credit Cards
  • Best Student Credit Cards

Start a Blog:

How to Start a Blog that Makes Money
 

Top Posts

  • 15 Ways You Can Make Money From Your Computer Right Now
  • When You Should and Shouldn’t Refinance Student Loans
  • How Much Money You Will Need to Make $1,000 in Dividends

Free Spreadsheets & Downloads

  • Free Automated Budget Spreadsheet
  • Student Loan Repayment Spreadsheet
  • The Ultimate Personal Finance Checklist
  • 401k Spreadsheet to Analyze your Options
  • Wedding Budget Spreadsheet
  • 52 Week Money Challenge Spreadsheet and Printable

First Chapter Free!

Join our online community and receive the first chapter of Student Loan Solution absolutely FREE.

If you don't see the email in your inbox, please check your spam folder.

Connect:

Categories:

Search:

Get the New Book!

Student Loan Solution: 5 Steps to Take Control of Your Student Loans and Financial Life is available on Amazon by clicking here, or by clicking on the graphic below.

Make more. Save more. Live better.

Site Directory:

  • About
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Recommendations
  • Finance Tools
  • Credit Cards
  • Insurance
  • Banking
  • Investing

Disclaimer | Privacy Policy

Feedback? Questions?
Contact us and let us know what you think.

Connect:

Search This Site:

Copyright © 2012–2024 Young Adult Money, LLC / All Rights Reserved
Designed by LizTheresa.com / Developed by Nuts and Bolts Media

Manage your privacy

To provide the best experiences, we and our partners use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us and our partners to process personal data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site and show (non-) personalized ads. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.

Click below to consent to the above or make granular choices. Your choices will be applied to this site only. You can change your settings at any time, including withdrawing your consent, by using the toggles on the Cookie Policy, or by clicking on the manage consent button at the bottom of the screen.

Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Statistics

Marketing

Features
Always active

Always active
Manage options Manage services Manage vendors Read more about these purposes
Manage options
{title} {title} {title}
Manage your privacy

To provide the best experiences, we and our partners use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us and our partners to process personal data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site and show (non-) personalized ads. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.

Click below to consent to the above or make granular choices. Your choices will be applied to this site only. You can change your settings at any time, including withdrawing your consent, by using the toggles on the Cookie Policy, or by clicking on the manage consent button at the bottom of the screen.

Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage vendors Read more about these purposes
Manage options
{title} {title} {title}