The 3 Best Travel Credit Cards of 2024: Maximize Your Travel Rewards and Experience

Are you currently looking for a travel credit card and don't know which one to choose? Well, look no further, mujer. In this blog I will share with you the best travel credit cards of 2024 by discussing my top 3 favorite travel credit cards that I personally use for all my travel adventures and on a monthly basis to maximize my travel reward points. Now, if you are apprehensive about taking out a travel credit card and the debt that comes with it porque you grew up hearing que "no hay endeudarse" y tarjetas de credito son "malas," do not fear! I will also walk you through the reasons as to why credit cards are actually a good thing when used properly, specially travel cards, which provide a lot of travel perks that often include free travel (through points), access to lounges, and more!

SO, WHAT IS A TRAVEL CREDIT CARD?

Quite simply, travel credit cards are those that offer users the opportunity to gain travel points or miles based on purchases made with the card that can then be redeemed for future travel. For example, if you spend $100.00 on groceries using your travel credit card, then you will gain points. As simple as that. Now, how many points you acquire is dependent on the card's promotion and offers.

Given that travel point promotions vary from card to card, it is important to compare and understand the perks of various travel credit cards before committing to one. By doing your vetted research you are ensuring increasing your potential to earn the most points, and thus have more travel point credit for travel purchases (more on this later).

Furthermore, some travel credit cards obtained from specific airlines or banks might also have "loyalty" programs and perks that provide additional discounts and unique opportunities. Below is more information you need to know about travel credit cards:

Earning Rewards (How the System Works):

• You make purchases with your travel credit card.

• You earn points or miles based on the card's program. Often, you'll earn more points for travel-related purchases like flights and hotels.

• Some cards offer bonus points (bonus offers) for meeting spending thresholds in a certain timeframe, which can jumpstart your rewards accumulation.

*Sign Up Bonus Offer: In most cases, travel credit cards will have a generous first time sign-up bonus offer that can range anywhere from 25,000-60,000+ bonus miles. This translates to anywhere between $250-$600.00+ of travel credit available to you just for spending a specified amount of money using your new travel credit card within the first 2-4 months.

Travel Portal (How to Redeem your points):

• Each travel credit card will come with a travel portal, or place where you can redeem your points or miles for various travel expenses, like flights, hotels, vacation packages, and even car rentals!
  

• Flights: This is a popular option, and some cards offer transfer partners with airlines to maximize your redemption value. Meaning, you are able to purchase flights via those airlines directly by transferring your points to their site. This is a great option when airlines have special promotions going on as you may be able to score your plane tickets for a better price!
  

• Hotels: Similar to flights, some cards have partnerships with hotel chains for better redemption rates. As a rule of thumb, it is important to always monitor your travel portal for any good promotions and deals so you don't miss out.
  

• Vacation packages: Some credit card programs allow you to redeem rewards for entire travel packages combining flights and hotels. Similarly, it is important to track the travel portal to be aware of any good deals in sight.

Points vs. Miles:

• Travel cards can offer points or miles. . .
  

• Miles are typically earned with airline-specific cards, while points can be earned with general travel cards or co-branded hotel/airline cards.
  

• Points often have more flexibility, allowing transfers to various travel partners and potentially even cash back options.

Card Fees:

• Typically, travel credit cards in the U.S. range from $0 to $600+ in annual fees.

• No-fee travel cards exist, offering basic rewards and perks for $0 annually.

• Standard travel cards have annual fees around $90-$100.

• Premium travel cards with extensive benefits can reach fees of $450 or more.
  

DESTIGMATIZING CREDIT CARDS, NO SIEMPRE "SON MALAS"

I don't know about you, pero growing up Latina, credit cards were often deemed "malas." Oh the many misconceptions. . .from "credit cards only keep people in debt," to "having too many credit cards is not good because it harms your credit score," to simply not understanding how credit cards can actually be a good thing for you when used correctly and responsibly.

I got my first credit card at the tender age of 19 for college purposes. Despite having a limited understanding on financial literacy and credit, one thing I knew: I did not want to accrue debt I could not pay. And so, throughout my early 20's as I navigated my undergraduate and masters programs, I always made sure to not use my credit card for non emergency expenses. Despite holding on to some debt, I always did my best to pay off my credit card on time. In some instances, I even paid over the minimum payment to get rid of my debt faster. Lucky for me, my responsible spending habits allowed me to graduate with a credit card balance of $0.00. Meaning, learning how to use my credit card responsibly by avoiding non-emergency expenses and paying off my credit card on time every month (even wiping it to $0.00 monthly) allowed me to not only have zero credit card debt by graduation, but also allowed me to start building my credit score.

Taking what I learned from my years in college, I applied the same tactics as a young adult and professional throughout the rest of my 20's. During my years as a maestra (2016-2023) I always made sure to only make purchases with my credit cards that I knew I could afford to pay off fully by the end of each month. Typically, these expenses included groceries, clothes, insurance, bills, and other online purchases.

Building the habit of using my credit cards responsibly allowed me to further build my credit and find ways to maximize the perks that credit cards have to offer like cash back or travel points. Thanks to my responsible credit card spending habits, I was also able to travel to Mexico, Aruba, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic for free, by using my travel points!

Therefore, before we get into my recommendation for the 3 best travel credit cards to use for 2024 and beyond, I want you to walk away with the following:

1. Do your research and see which credit card best fits your needs, based on annual fee, perks, airlines you travel most frequently with, loyalty programs, airline specific cards, etc.
   

2. Credit cards no siempre son malas when used responsibly (never make purchases you can't afford to pay off fully at the end of each month).

NOW THE GOOD STUFF: THE BEST 3 TRAVEL CREDIT CARDS

1. JETBLUE CARD Barclays: CLICK HERE TO APPLY

• Annual Fee: $0.00

• Credit Score needed to apply: NA

• 3X points on eligible JetBlue purchases

• 2X points at restaurants and eligible grocery stores

• 1X points on all other purchases

• Earn 10,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 90 days (as of April 2024)

• Pro: Great for travel from the U.S. to the Caribbean, I always use the JetBlue airline when traveling to the Caribbean islands, having this card is so helpful due to travel promotions (cheaper flights) and you even get half off on drinks and food during your flight when using this card!

2: CHASE SAPPHIRE: CLICK HERE TO APPLY

• Annual Fee: $95.00

• Credit Score needed to apply: 690 or higher

• 5X points on hotels and car rentals

• 2x points on all other travel purchases

• 3x points on dining purchases

• 25% more on travel redemptions (when redeemed though CHASE Travel Portal)

• Up to $50 annual CHASE Travel Hotel Credit

• Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months (as of April 2024)

• Pro: Great for monthly expenses! I use this credit card every month on toiletries, online bills, clothes, and other purchases to accrue travel points. However, keep in mind that the most responsible thing to do is to pay off your credit card at the end of every month (before due date) so you don't go into debt.

3: CAPITAL 1 VENTURE X: CLICK HERE TO APPLY

• Annual Fee: $395.00

• Credit Score needed to apply: Excellent

• Receive $300.00 annual travel credit for bookings through Capital One Travel Portal

• Get 10,000 bonus miles ($100 towards travel) every year, starting on your anniversary

• Get $100.00 towards your Global Entry TSA PreCheck

• Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months (as of April 2024)

Disclaimer: These recommendations for the top 3 travel credit cards are based on my personal travel style and spending habits. The "best" card for you will depend on your individual needs and goals. Be sure to thoroughly research any card before applying, considering factors like annual fees, rewards programs, travel benefits, and credit score requirements. I may earn a referral bonus if you apply for a card through a link on this blog, but my recommendations are based on genuine experiences and what I believe will be most valuable to frequent travelers.