The best credit cards for vacations for December 2024 #CashNews.co

From a big international trip next summer to local weekend excursions over the holidays, a great travel credit card can help you make the most of your travel expenses and even maximize your savings.

Below, we’ve rounded up the best credit cards — with a range of annual fees, bonus categories, benefits, and more — to help you save on your next vacation, no matter where you’re heading.

These are our top picks for credit cards to take on your upcoming vacation. Find the right card for you based on the travel perks, top rewards categories, or type of travel you value most.

Why we like it: Earning and redeeming travel rewards is easy with the Capital One Venture Rewards Card. You’ll earn a flat 2x miles on every purchase you make and can use those rewards toward future travel. Either redeem miles toward travel purchases you make with your card (within 90 days) or use them to book through Capital One Travel. Your miles are generally worth a standard 1 cent each. Capital One also has more than 15 transfer partners you can redeem miles with — which can offer even more value depending on the details of your trip.

More Capital One Venture travel perks include a boosted 5x bonus miles when you book hotels and rental cars with Capital One Travel, as well as access to Lifestyle Collection hotels and a $50 experience credit when you book through the Capital One Travel portal. Finally, get up to $120 in fee credits for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry.

Read our full review of the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Why we like it: Thanks to its impressively high rewards rate at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets, the Amex Gold Card can help you rack up points on food you buy at home. With 4x points per dollar, this is one of the highest-earning cards for both spending categories today.

You can use more Amex Gold perks to save money both at home and while traveling. Get up to $120 each year ($10 per month) in Uber Cash when you add your card to your Uber account*, and up to another $120 annually ($10 per month; with enrollment) in statement credits for purchases at Five Guys, Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, and Wine.com.

You can also now earn $100 (up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually; with enrollment) for purchases at U.S. restaurants on the Resy app or Resy.com, and up to $7 per month in statement credits for purchases at Dunkin locations. Finally, you can book The Hotel Collection hotels through Amex Travel and get up to $100 in experience credit during your stay (with a two-night minimum).

When you’re ready to use your Amex Gold points, put them toward your vacation costs for the best value. You’ll get up to 1 cent per point value when you redeem rewards for flights through Amex Travel, or you could reap even more value by transferring your points to Amex airline and hotel partners.

*You must have the latest version of the Uber App downloaded and your eligible American Express Gold Card must be a method of payment in your Uber account; Amex benefit may only be used in United States

Read our full review of the American Express Gold Card

Why we like it: The Chase Sapphire Preferred has a diverse range of rewards categories — from dining to streaming services to travel — but that’s only the beginning of what makes this card valuable.

When you’re ready to redeem, you can get up to 1.25 cents per point for travel booked through Chase Travel. By comparison, a solid redemption for travel rewards is typically around 1 cent per point.

Learn more: See our picks for the best Chase credit card

Other Chase Sapphire Preferred travel benefits include up to $50 in annual credits for eligible hotel bookings you make through Chase Travel, plenty of travel protections, and the option to transfer your rewards points to Chase’s airline and hotel partners. Plus, each account anniversary you’ll receive bonus points worth 10% of the total purchases you made in the year prior. Chase partners offer more annual benefits you can use with this card, including Lyft, DoorDash, and Instacart.

Read our full review of the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

Why we like it: The Capital One Savor card and its rewards categories can make the perfect choice for carrying on your next trip, with 3% cash back on common travel expenses like dining out and entertainment — including tourist attractions, amusement parks, concerts, and sporting event tickets. Meanwhile, you can use those same categories (plus streaming services and grocery stores) to make the most of your spending at home.

The Savor card also offers a solid 0% introductory APR on both new purchases and balance transfers, which can be useful if you want a bit of extra time to pay off your vacation spending.

Read our full review of the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card

Why we like it: If your vacations involve driving to your destination rather than air travel, look for a travel card that rewards all the trips you’ll make to gas stations along the way — like the no-annual-fee Wells Fargo Autograph.

You can get a competitive 3x points at gas stations and electric vehicle charging stations. Earn the same amount on other expenses you’re likely to incur on the road, such as dining at restaurants, transit (which includes parking and tolls), and any hotel stays (which fall under the travel category).

In addition to your travel rewards, there’s a solid introductory 0% APR on new purchases, which you can use to help finance your trip — as long as you pay down the balance before the period ends. Redeem your points for travel purchases, statement credits, deposits into a Wells Fargo account, gift cards, and more.

Why we like it: The Bank of America Premium Rewards Card is another solid option for cardholders who want simplicity when it comes to earning rewards.

Existing Bank of America customers get even more value. Like other credit cards from the bank, you can boost your rewards earnings by 25% to 75% if you have a qualifying account and balance with Bank of America’s Preferred Rewards program. In other words, you could get up to 3.5x points on travel and dining and up to 2.62x points on all other spending.

It also offers annual travel credits to help offset the fee cost. These include up to $100 in statement credits for airline incidental charges (upgrades, baggage fees, lounge access, etc.) and fee credits toward TSA PreCheck or Global Entry.

Rewards points are generally worth about 1 cent each, and you can redeem them for statement credits, gift cards, deposits into eligible bank accounts, or through Bank of America’s Travel Center.

Why we like it: The Amex Platinum Card earned a spot on this list thanks to its complimentary hotel status benefit — you’ll get automatic Marriott Gold Elite Status and Hilton Honors Gold Status. Other hotel benefits include up to $200 in annual statement credits when you book eligible prepaid stays through Amex Travel and access to The Hotel Collection and Fine Hotels + Resorts program, which both come with added amenities and credits when you book.

The Platinum Card from Amex also offers frequent travelers a wide range of annual benefits. There are even perks for frequent cruise travelers; the Cruise Privileges Program can help you get onboard credits, amenities, and bonus rewards on cruises you book with the Platinum Card.

Keep in mind, the card’s pricy annual fee makes it most valuable for very frequent travelers. You’ll only really maximize those great hotel benefits and other travel discounts if you use them often enough to justify the fee. Otherwise, you may want to find a card better suited to your vacation schedule and budget.

Read our full review of The Platinum Card from American Express

If you go on vacation even just once a year, a credit card with travel rewards can quickly pay off. While traveling, a credit card can offer some unique benefits over cash or a debit card. Travel protections (in case of lost baggage, delays, rental car issues, trip cancellation, and more), waived foreign transaction fees, and rewards on your travel purchases can make any trip more efficient and affordable.

The key is choosing the right card for your vacation.

Frequent travelers may save a lot of money using premium travel credit cards with high annual fees and thousands of dollars in yearly credits — but they’re not for everyone. The best credit card for you may not offer lounge access or credits toward airline incidental fees but instead focus on everyday rewards value that you can put toward a future trip.

For example, say you prefer to vacation at a rented beach house only a few hours away by car. In that case, you probably want to prioritize rewards at supermarkets and gas stations — which can help you save both throughout your beach vacation and on regular expenses at home.

Airline and hotel cards

For some, co-branded travel credit cards with airlines and hotels may be more useful for vacation savings. Just like premium rewards cards, though, these cards aren’t universal.

If you fly multiple times per year, live near an airline’s hub city, or really value a specific airline loyalty status, you can get added benefits and more miles with a co-branded airline card. You may even get free checked bags, a faster path toward elite status, flight discounts, or companion benefits.

Similarly, a hotel credit card is helpful if you strongly prefer a specific hotel chain. If you have status with the hotel or go on vacation to the same destination each year, opening a hotel credit card can help you earn points toward award nights more quickly, reach elite status, and gain other perks for each stay.

Read more about our top airline credit cards and hotel credit cards

Before you choose an airline card or hotel card, make sure to compare them to more general travel rewards cards, especially cards under rewards programs that allow you to move your points or miles to transfer partners. Look back at your past spending and travel — or ahead to any upcoming trips — and make sure you choose the card that’s going to help you both earn the best rewards on your typical purchases and redeem those rewards in a way that saves you money.

Travel cards come in many different forms, and it can pay to find the one best suited for your travel. Here are a few common types of vacations and what you should look for in a credit card for each:

When choosing a card for international travel, the first thing to look for is no foreign transaction fees. These fees are typically around 3% of each purchase abroad, which can add up to big savings throughout your trip.

Then, think about the expenses you’ll incur for an international trip, such as airfare and hotel bookings. Your credit card can make a big difference in the amount you’ll save while booking these costly expenses. Look for a great rewards rate with airlines and hotels (or when booking through the credit card rewards program portal) as well as any potential savings you can get with statement credits and other benefits.

Finally, when traveling internationally, you don’t want to risk not being able to use your card to make a purchase. Visa and Mastercard are generally considered the most widely accepted credit card networks — so you may want to ensure you have one of these in your wallet. It can also pay to bring along multiple cards, just in case you run into any issues.

Here are some options to consider for your international trip:

You might have some different expenses to plan for with a road trip. Most likely, fueling up at gas stations will make up a large portion of the cost — so you probably want to prioritize gas rewards from your potential credit card. Additionally, you may be stocking up on food at grocery stores just as often as you stop for a bite at a restaurant or drive-thru. Think about whether supermarket rewards, dining rewards, or both might best fit your budget.

Another thing to consider is whether you’re renting a car for your trip or bringing your own. If you rent, look for a card with travel protections — especially for car rentals. Many come with auto rental collision damage waivers, emergency assistance services, and more protections that can save you money and time in a pinch.

These are some great cards today you can use before you hit the road:

Unlike other forms of travel, many cruises are relatively inexpensive while onboard — but require a lot of up-front costs. Prioritize cards that will reward the money you spend on travel expenses, including both the cost of the cruise itself and how you’ll travel to get there. If the port city is located near your home, that might include gas costs and parking. If you need to fly into a different city, then you’ll probably need to account for the higher costs of airfare and a hotel room.

Depending on your cruise destination, you might also prepare for excursion expenses, too, whether you plan to dine off-ship or spend with a local merchant. Think about the rewards you can earn on this spending, as well as how to avoid foreign transaction fees for destinations outside of the U.S.

Here are some of our top credit card picks for cruise travelers:

Read more: Best credit cards for cruises

Depending on your spending and travel habits, using a vacation credit card can be well worth the effort. While travel cards often come with an annual fee and require good credit, the benefits can easily outweigh the costs with just a few short trips a year.

Plus, you’ll save even more over the first year when you choose a card with a great sign-up bonus that can help offset some expenses during your next vacation.

That said, travel cards may require more strategizing than a beginner-friendly rewards card. You may need to do some research to maximize the benefits and rewards on offer, and redeeming your points for future travel may take some extra planning.

If you don’t travel at least occasionally or want a simpler rewards program to track, a straightforward cash-back card may be a better fit.

Read more: Are travel credit cards worth it?

There are plenty of benefits of using a credit card instead of your debit card when you go on vacation. On top of the great rewards you can earn and the extra security measures credit cards may have, there are also plenty of travel protections and insurance offers your credit card may offer.

From trip delay and cancellation insurance to baggage delay and lost luggage reimbursement, many travel credit cards will help you recoup costs when something goes wrong during your travels. Rental car insurance is a common benefit, too, along with roadside assistance and other emergency services. As long as you book the full cost of your trip with your credit card, you can take advantage of these services during your trip — or just have the peace of mind of knowing your costs are covered.

Read more: When to use your credit card over your debit card

It can be useful to carry multiple credit cards on vacation.

For example, your go-to card might charge foreign transaction fees or work on a network that’s not widely accepted outside the U.S. When you go on an international trip, multiple cards from different card issuers or networks can help you avoid any unexpected issues.

Another example might revolve more around rewards. Say you prepaid all your travel expenses, and your spending on vacation will consist of meals, souvenirs, and attractions. You may have a card best suited for rewards on those purchases, but consider also bringing the travel rewards card you used to book your flights, hotels, and rental cars — just in case. If you need to use the card’s travel protections or confirm your reservation with the travel company at check-in, it may be useful to have it on hand.

Read more: How many credit cards is too many?

Plenty of credit cards offer top rewards on purchases you’re likely to make while traveling abroad — you can save on airfare, hotel bookings, car rentals, dining at restaurants, tourist attractions, and more with a range of cash-back credit cards and travel rewards credit cards (including those on our list above).

The best rewards can depend a lot on the rewards program you choose, too. Some travelers may prefer flexible programs like American Express Membership Rewards or Chase Ultimate Rewards, while others might like to earn points or miles under their favorite airline or hotel loyalty programs (like Marriott Bonvoy or Delta SkyMiles). The program that works best for your travel goals can go a long way in making the rewards you earn more valuable.

One important thing to look for (beyond rewards earnings) if you’re traveling internationally is any potential fees. Foreign transaction fees that range between 1% and 3% of every purchase are common among some cards. Many travel rewards cards, though, waive these fees for cardholders. To make the most of what your rewards card offers internationally, make sure you won’t have to pay these added costs.

Read more: Best credit cards with no foreign transaction fees

Travel credit cards can be worth paying an annual fee if you get enough value from your rewards and benefits.

Travel credit cards with annual fees tend to offer a few different rewards categories, likely focused on travel expenses along with some everyday categories (like gas stations or dining). But for the annual fee cost, you’ll also usually get benefits that can help return even more value year after year. Airport lounge access, annual credits for travel, priority boarding on flights, annual free nights at hotels, and credits with partner brands are just a few perks you’ll find from some of the best travel credit cards today. But if you don’t use these benefits (or don’t travel enough to get much out of them), the fee cost may not be worth it.

Of course, you can also find some great travel credit cards with no annual fee at all. If you don’t travel often but still want to save when you do fly or stay in hotels, a no-annual-fee travel option could be a good alternative.

Read more: Are credit cards with annual fees worth it?

The main disadvantage of using a credit card for vacation is the potential debt you could take on.

With today’s very high credit card interest rates, using a credit card for expensive flights, hotels, and more for an upcoming vacation could soon get costly if you’re unable to pay down the balance in full when your bill is due.

If you haven’t already saved up the money for your vacation, one way to avoid high interest charges is by paying for your vacation using a 0% APR card. You can use the card to cover the costs of your vacation, then have several months (intro periods often range from 12-18 months) before the balance will accrue interest. Just make sure you can pay your trip costs down before the period ends; otherwise, you’ll start to take on interest at the card’s ongoing variable APR.

For most travel credit cards, you’ll need a good-to-excellent credit score — or a FICO score of at least 670. You may want to see if you qualify for any preapproval offers before you apply to make a more informed decision about your application.

If you don’t think you’ll qualify with your existing credit score, it may be better to wait and start earning travel rewards later. In the meantime, improve your credit by making timely payments every month, keeping your credit utilization low, and maintaining other good credit card habits.

At Yahoo Finance, we’ve compiled several lists of our favorite travel cards; you can find our top picks for airlines, hotels, gas stations, and many more.

We use proprietary rubrics to assign credit cards a rating based on details like annual fee, APR, welcome offer, rewards rates, redemption options, security measures, customer service, access to credit score, and more.

We used these lists and rubrics to compile our top credit cards for vacations. We first determined several superlatives that fit a wide range of vacation types and what we believe vacationers seek from a travel credit card. Then, we took those superlatives and matched them with the most rewarding cards — pulling from our existing lists of best cards and those cards that receive the highest ratings within our rubric.

However, you won’t find co-branded travel or business credit cards on this list. While these cards can be valuable under specific circumstances, we focused on general travel cards that fit the broadest ranges of consumers and vacation types.

This article was edited by Alicia Hahn

Editorial Disclosure: The information in this article has not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser. All opinions belong solely to Yahoo Finance and are not those of any other entity. The details on financial products, including card rates and fees, are accurate as of the publish date. All products or services are presented without warranty. Check the bank’s website for the most current information. This site doesn’t include all currently available offers. Credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.