Signing up for credit cards and earning the sign-up bonuses is the fastest way to travel more often and more cheaply using miles and points. In this post I will recommend my Top 5 Travel Credit Cards for earning miles and points and offer links on how to maximize their benefits (for credit card recommendations sorted by bank, click here).
Before you sign up for a new credit card (or several) please read the Cause Work Can Wait Miles and Points Beginner’s Guide. This is a four part guide to the miles and points world designed to introduce you to the hobby. Also be sure to read the disclaimers at the bottom of this post for important background before signing up.
Last updated: 2017 (for more up to date recommendations, click here)
| Credit Card | The Numbers | The Benefits |
| Chase Sapphire Reserve
Note: this card has a high annual fee but the benefits are worth far more than this fee, if you use them) |
Sign-up Bonus: 50,000-100,000 points
Total Estimated Sign-up Value: $1500 Minimum Spend: $4,000 in the first 3 months Annual Fee: $450 (NOT waived the first year) |
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| AMEX Starwood Preferred Guest(no longer active)
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Sign-up Bonus: 25,000-35,000 points
Minimum Spend: $3,000 in the first 3 months Annual Fee: $95 (waived the first year) |
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| Barclaycard Arrival Plus(no longer active) | Sign-up Bonus: 50,000 miles
Minimum Spend: $3,000 in the first 90 days Annual Fee: $89 (waived the first year) |
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| Chase Ink Business Preferred
Note: this is a business card, intended for small business owners |
Sign-up Bonus: 80,000 miles
Minimum Spend Requirement: $5,000 in the first 3 months Annual Fee: $95 (NOT waived the first year) |
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| Chase United MileagePlus Explorer Card
Click here for other good airline-based cards |
Sign-up Bonus: 50,000 miles
Minimum Spend: $3,000 in the first 3 months Annual Fee: $95 (NOT waived the first year) |
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Disclaimer #1: This list is not exhaustive. There are many other lists of top travel credit cards (click here and here and here), sometimes featuring links to sign-up that are better than those otherwise publicly available. While those sites often earn referral bonuses from their links (so use them!), this list is not influenced by financial kickbacks.
Disclaimer #2: There are different categories of credit cards, including small business, premium travel, and airline cards. These cards are covered extensively on other sites, for those interested in wading deeper into the hobby.
Disclaimer #3: Credit card sign-up bonuses (the number one consideration when applying) change frequently. Banks are aggressively competing for your business. Sign-up for the cards when their bonuses are highest and if possible, wait if they are at their baseline levels. Many web-sites compile top credit card lists on a monthly basis that take into consideration these limited time increased bonuses. The list above does not, although I’ve listed the historical ranges for the sign-up bonuses in the chart for your reference.