Travel credit cards are a great way to save money on flights, hotels, and other travel expenses. If you’ve read our list of the best travel rewards cards, you’re probably familiar with the usual suspects. There are a few cards, primarily Chase and American Express, that get the most attention.
But there are also some great cards that many people don’t know about. Here are three of the most underrated options.
1. City Strata Premier
The Citi Strata Premier℠ Card is an affordable travel card with great value. Annual membership fee is $95. New cardholders can earn a welcome offer of 70,000 ThankYou® points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months. This is worth $700 in gift cards and travel rewards, and you can also transfer points to Citi’s travel partners.
What I like most about this Citi card is its cashback rate. There are many bonus categories, including some you don’t often see on travel cards. What you get:
10x points on hotels, rental cars, and attractions booked through CitiTravel.com 3x points on restaurants, supermarkets, gas/EV charging stations, air travel, and other hotel purchases 1x points on all other purchases
It’s also worth noting that you’ll receive $100 off annual hotels on a single stay of $500 or more, excluding taxes and fees. Accommodations must be booked through CitiTravel.com. If you use it every year, you’ve already paid more than the annual fee.
2. Bank of America Premium Benefits
Many travel cards come with complex rewards programs. If you’re looking for something more simple, consider the Bank of America® Premium Rewards® Credit Card.
This card earns 2 points per dollar spent on travel and dining, and 1.5 points per dollar spent on other purchases. There’s also a welcome offer of 60,000 points (worth $600) after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 90 days. Points can be redeemed for travel or cashback at a value of $0.01 per point.
You can also earn up to $100 in annual statement credits on airline incidental purchases and earn Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credits every four years. These credits will help you save on the $95 annual fee.
This card gets even more value if you’re a Preferred Rewards member. You can qualify for this program by meeting the balance requirements in your Bank of America bank account or Merrill investment account. One of the perks is a credit card rewards bonus of 25% to 75%, depending on the level of the program you participate in.
3. US Bank Advanced Reserves
The US Bank Altitude™ Reserve Visa Infinite® Card is a rare and almost unheard of premium travel card. This is a shame because it’s a great deal for the right cardholder. I recently opened it and I really like it.
This card has a $400 annual fee, but most of that is easily recouped. You’ll also receive up to $325 in annual credits on eligible travel, dining, takeout and restaurant delivery purchases. Assuming you spend at least that amount each year, the card costs just $75.
You’ll also get airport lounge access and a welcome offer of 50,000 points after you spend $4,500 on purchases within the first 90 days. Points are worth a flat rate of $0.015 per point for travel, so the welcome bonus is worth $750 in travel rewards. Here’s how much you’ll get with this card purchase:
5x points on prepaid hotel and car rentals booked directly with Altitude Rewards Center 3x points on eligible travel purchases and mobile wallet usage with Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay 1 on other eligible purchases double points
Pro tip: 3x points when using your mobile wallet is an incredible benefit. With so many businesses offering mobile wallets these days, you can use this card to earn 3x points on many everyday expenses. The value of the travel award is $0.015, so you effectively earn 4.5% on your mobile wallet spend.
Find the right travel rewards card
Travel point cards are popular. With so many available, some of them may fly under the radar. When you’re looking for a credit card, take some time to check out the options from different card issuers to find the one that best fits your needs.
