Best Travel Credit Cards With No Annual Fee of June 2023

The best travel card with no annual fee allows you to earn points or miles without the risk of a yearly fee canceling out your rewards. These cards require good or excellent credit, with a FICO® Score of at least 670.

These cards are best for budget-minded travelers, or for those who like to travel but just don't travel enough to justify an annual fee. If you decide to travel less than once a year, no annual fee travel credit cards ensure you're not paying fees for a card that doesn’t currently benefit you.

If you want to compare the best travel cards with no annual fee, you'll want to pay attention to the following key features:

• Check for a sign-up bonus: A bonus offer of at least 10,000 points or miles is a fair offer for a no annual fee card. If you get a travel points credit card with no annual fee offering 25,000 points or miles or more, that's a generous bonus offer, especially considering you're not paying a yearly fee to use the card.
• Compare rewards rate: Go for the no fee credit card that rewards the type of spending you're most likely to do since rewards rates can vary from one card to another. Some of the best credit cards for travel rewards will offer bonus points on travel spending, while others might offer bonus points on dining or groceries, and gas.
• Find your redemption options: The best travel credit cards with no annual fee offer flexible rewards. These can be redeemed for a variety of different things. Some cards offer cash back, others offer airline miles or hotel points.

• Get low interest rates: If you plan to carry a balance, you'll want to opt for a credit card with the lowest interest rate possible. It's wise to pay off your balance in full each month in order to avoid interest charges.
• Take advantage of the introductory APR: Some of the best travel credit cards with no annual fee also come with intro APR offers for purchases or balance transfers.
• Check for foreign transaction fees: If you plan to travel abroad, opt for the best travel rewards credit cards with no foreign transaction fee. Travel credit cards charge a foreign transaction fee on all transactions completed in a foreign country. It's charged as a percentage of each purchase and is usually around 3%.
• Find your free credit score: Some of the best travel cards with no annual fee also offer free credit scores or free credit monitoring. This can be a very handy tool for both improving and maintaining your credit score.

There are a variety of no annual fee travel credit cards, including:

• General flat-rate rewards cards
• Airline cards
• Hotel cards

The type of credit card with travel rewards to get will depend on your travel preferences and spending habits. If you're loyal to one airline, a no annual fee airline card may make sense. A no-fee hotel card may be a good fit if you tend to book stays with certain hotel chains. However, if you book a variety of travel and want more flexibility with your rewards, a general rewards card that offers flat rate rewards may be the best option.

Here are some of the best no annual fee travel cards that might work for you, depending on your specific need.

Flat rate rewards cards with no annual fee

These cards earn rewards at a flat rate. That means you won't have to spend only on travel purchases or keep track of spending categories to earn rewards. Many of these travel credit cards allow you to redeem your points or miles. Here are some card examples.

• Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card: This card earns at a flat rate of 1.5 points for purchases, making it simple to earn rewards. You can earn unlimited rewards, and this card also offers a hefty sign-up bonus of 25,000 points after you meet the minimum spend of $1,000 in the first 90 days.
• Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card: You'll earn 1.25 miles for every $1 spent on most purchases, and rewards are unlimited. For this reason, most consider this to be a flat-rate rewards card. It's worth noting that If you book hotels or rental cars through the Capital One Travel portal, you'll earn 5 miles per $1 spent. The card also offers a generous welcome bonus: Earn 20,000 miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $200 in travel.
• Discover it® Miles: You'll earn 1.5 miles for every $1 spent on purchases, regardless of the category. Plus, earning is unlimited. This card doesn't have a traditional sign-up bonus. Instead, Discover will match all miles earned in the first year. If you spend a lot with this card in the first year, this is an extremely valuable bonus.

Airline credit cards with no annual fee

These cards reward you for making purchases with a specific airline. If you're loyal to one airline brand, this kind of no annual fee card may make sense. Here are some card examples.

• Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card: Cardholders can earn 10,000 miles after spending $1,000 within six months. You'll earn 2 miles per $1 on eligible Delta and restaurant purchases, including takeout and 1 mile per $1 on other purchases. You'll also earn 20% back as a statement credit on eligible in-flight purchases.
• JetBlue Card: This card offers a bonus of 10,000 points after you spend at least $1,000 in the first three months. You'll earn 3 points per $1 on eligible JetBlue purchases, 2 points on restaurant and grocery spending, and 1 point per $1 on other purchases. This card also offers 50% savings in the form of a statement credit when you make eligible in-flight JetBlue purchases.
• United Gateway℠ Card: This credit card is an option if you fly with United Airlines. You'll earn 1 to 2 miles per $1 spent depending on what you buy with your card. New cardmembers can earn generous bonus miles after meeting the spend requirements. When you use this card to make eligible United in-flight purchases, you'll earn 25% back in the form of a statement credit.

Hotel credit cards with no annual fee

These cards reward you for making purchases with a specific hotel chain. If you're loyal to one hotel chain or hotel loyalty program, this kind of no annual fee card may make sense. Here are some card examples.

• Hilton Honors American Express Card: With this card, you can earn 7 points per $1 spent on eligible Hilton properties. Additionally, you can earn 5 points per $1 on purchases made at U.S. supermarkets, restaurants, and gas stations. New cardmembers can earn up to 100,000 bonus points if they meet the spending requirements.
• Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card: You'll earn anywhere from 1 to 14 points per $1, depending on what purchases you make, and you'll automatically achieve Silver Elite status by carrying this card. Plus, it offers a sizable welcome bonus after you meet the minimum spend.

The best free travel credit cards typically offer two types of redemptions: statement credit and travel portal. The biggest difference between a credit card with travel points and other rewards cards is how points can be redeemed.

Statement credit redemptions:

Points or miles are redeemed to "erase" travel purchases from your statement.

Many people prefer statement credit redemptions over portal-based travel cards for several reasons.

• They're the most flexible method.
  • You can use your rewards to cover any kind of purchase that codes as travel, from bookings through Expedia to local bed and breakfasts and renting a car.
• They are also better for saving money on everyday expenses.
  • You don't necessarily have to plan a big vacation to take advantage of them.
• You can take advantage of big travel discounts.
  • Book travel with your credit card, then double-dip by using your statement credits to erase the purchase.
  • This option is great for excellent bargain hunters.

Travel portal redemptions

Points or miles are redeemed through the issuer's portal.

On the other hand, travel portal cards often earn more lucrative rewards, if you know how to use them wisely. Travel portal cards have a few unique advantages:

• Pay with points or miles.
  • Using a bank's travel portal enables you to skip a step and redeem your points or miles for a travel purchase immediately. A statement credit travel card requires you to book a trip with the card and request a credit later.
• The value of points and miles varies.
  • Statement credits assign a fixed value to each point or mile you earn, but travel portal redemptions can value points at a different rate.