These 3 Cards Can Save You $1,000+ on Your 2025 Summer Vacation
KEY POINTS
- The Amex Platinum Card offers thousands of dollars in value through travel credits, lounge access, and hotel perks.
- The Chase Sapphire Reserve makes travel easy with flexible rewards and a $300 travel credit.
- The Capital One Venture X Card offers premium perks at a lower price point.
Between airfare, hotels, and unexpected fees, summer travel can get expensive fast.
But the right travel credit card can significantly cut the cost of your next getaway.
The three cards below each offer over $1,000 in first-year value, making your next trip cheaper, smoother, and more enjoyable.
1. The Platinum Card® from American Express
On American Express' Secure Website.
Terms apply
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= Best
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Terms apply
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Intro APR
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: N/A
APR
See Pay Over Time APR
Rewards Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel® up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel®. 1X Membership Rewards® Points on other purchases. Terms apply.
1X-5X Membership Rewards® Points
Annual Fee
$695
Welcome Offer You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.
As High As 175,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.
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This luxury travel card has some of the most prestigious perks you'll find — access to over 1,400 airport lounges, elite status with Hilton and Marriott Bonvoy (enrollment required), and spending credits worth over $1,500 in value every year. Just be ready for the hefty annual fee, which can be offset in the first year with a welcome offer. Terms apply.
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- Big welcome offer
- Substantial spending credits
- Airport lounge access
- Hotel benefits
- Flexible travel points
- Annual fee
- Limited bonus categories
- Spending credits can be complicated to manage
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- You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel® up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel®.
- $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel using your Platinum Card®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
- $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney+ bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
- Enjoy the benefits of the Global Lounge Collection, with over $500 of annual value if you visit Centurion Lounges and each of our partner lounges including Delta Sky Club® lounges when flying an eligible Delta flight (subject to visit limitations) , select Lufthansa lounges when flying Lufthansa, Plaza Premium lounges and Escape Lounges, and enroll in Priority Pass Select. See terms.
- A Walmart+ membership can get you free shipping with no order minimum on eligible items shipped by Walmart. Use your Platinum Card® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) and receive one statement credit for up to $12.95 (plus applicable taxes. Plus Ups not eligible) each month. Free Shipping excludes most Marketplace items, freight & certain location surcharges. Paramount+ Essential plan only, separate registration required.
- $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card® Account. American Express relies on airlines to submit the correct information on airline transactions to identify incidental fee purchases. If you do not see a credit for a qualifying incidental purchase on your eligible Card after 8 weeks, simply call the number on the back of your Card. Qualifying airlines are subject to change. See terms & conditions for more details.
- $200 Uber Cash: Platinum Card® Members can ride or dine in style with $15 in Uber Cash each month, plus a bonus $20 in December after adding their Card to their Uber account. Use your Uber Cash on rides and orders in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- $199 CLEAR® Plus Credit: CLEAR® Plus helps get you to your gate faster by using unique facial attributes to verify you are you at 50+ airports nationwide. Receive up to $199 in statement credits per calendar year after you pay for your CLEAR Plus Membership (subject to auto-renewal) with the Platinum Card®.
- Receive either a $120 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
- Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card®. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- Use Global Dining Access by Resy to access premium dining experiences. Receive Priority Notify and unlock insider access to some of the world's most sought-after restaurants with Global Dining Access by Resy. Download the Resy iOS app or log into Resy.com and add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile to take advantage of your special benefits and discover restaurants near you.
- $695 annual fee.
- Terms Apply.
If you want luxury perks from a premium travel card, you can't beat the Amex Platinum Card. While the $695 annual fee is high (see rates and fees), the card offers enough value in return to make up for it -- and then some.
You'll get all sorts of valuable annual perks, including:
- $200 in airline fee credits
- $200 in Uber Cash
- Complimentary access to Centurion and Priority Pass lounges
- Automatic Gold status with Hilton and Marriott
- Terms apply; enrollment may be required
All told, the card offers over $1,500 in annual statement credits. Add in a laundry list of other perks like travel protections, and you've got a card that's built for lavish travel.
Apply for the Amex Platinum Card today. Apply and find out if you are eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.
2. Chase Sapphire Reserve®
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= Fair = PoorGood/Excellent (670-850)
Intro APR
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: N/A
Regular APR
20.24% - 28.74% Variable
Rewards Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
5x points on flights and 10x points on hotels and car rentals through Chase Travel℠.
Annual Fee
$550
Welcome Offer Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
60,000 bonus points
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All the perks we've come to expect from a top travel card, including a $300 annual travel credit, airport lounge access, and big bonuses on travel and dining. Points are transferable to airline and hotel partners or worth 50% more if you book through Chase Travel. The annual fee is hefty, but if you can use all its features, this card could be well worth the cost.
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- Travel credits
- Airport lounge access
- Travel and dining rewards
- Welcome offer
- Flexible travel points
- Annual fee
- Limited-time benefits
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- Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
- Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel.
- 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
- Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $120 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Coverage, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Member FDIC
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees) is a great option for travelers who want flexibility, big rewards, and generous protections.
It comes with a $550 annual fee, but you'll get a statement credit for the first $300 you spend on travel each year -- including flights, hotels, and even rideshares. Plus, when you book through Chase Travel, the card earns 5x total points on air travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually.
Those points are part of the Ultimate Rewards program, which lets you transfer points to any of Chase's airline and hotel partners. On top of that, you get access to Priority Pass lounges and some of the best built-in travel insurance available.
Apply for the Chase Sapphire Reserve® today for your chance to get 60,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
3. Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
For travelers who want premium benefits without the high price tag, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card (see rates and fees) is a great choice.
It has a $395 annual fee (see rates and fees), significantly lower than its high-end competitors. It also offers a $300 credit for travel booked through Capital One and an annual 10,000-mile bonus, worth at least $100 by our estimations. That means if you take advantage of these two perks alone, you've already made up for the annual fee.
You'll also earn 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel, and 2X miles on all other purchases. The card includes access to more than 1,300 airport lounges, including Capital One Lounges.
You can't go wrong with any of these cards
All three of these cards can help you save serious money on your next big trip.
If you want luxury perks, go with the Amex Platinum Card. If you value flexible points and premium travel protections, the Chase Sapphire Reserve is a solid bet. And if you want high value for the lowest cost, the Capital One Venture X Card (see rates and fees) delivers.
Pick the one that fits your travel style and apply now to make your summer vacation a reality. Or, check out our list of the best travel cards to find the one that's right for you.
Our Research Expert
Ryan is a full-time personal finance writer at Motley Fool Money. He’s been covering topics like credit cards and savings since 2022, focusing on helping people who are new to the world of personal finance.
We're firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers. Motley Fool Money does not cover all offers on the market. Motley Fool Money is 100% owned and operated by The Motley Fool. Our knowledgeable team of personal finance editors and analysts are employed by The Motley Fool and held to the same set of publishing standards and editorial integrity while maintaining professional separation from the analysts and editors on other Motley Fool brands. Terms may apply to offers listed on this page.
For rates and fees for the The Platinum Card® from American Express, click here