With many Americans taking a new approach to spending on travel amid economic uncertainty in 2025, having the right credit card in your wallet has never been more important.
Fortunately, personal finance website WalletHub recently revealed its list of the best travel credit cards heading into the busy summer season.
Travelers planning a trip abroad should also take notice.
The independent picks are selected from more than 1,500 offers using WalletHub's proprietary 100-point card rating system but travelers should always consider their normal spending habits when settling on a new travel credit card.
"The best travel credit card for May 2025 is the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card because it has a great initial bonus and gives you at least double points on all travel purchases," according to WalletHub.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is also the best travel credit card for a big sign-up bonus. "You will earn 60,000 bonus points for spending $5,000 in the first 3 months. That bonus is worth $750 in travel booked through Chase Travel," WalletHub adds.
Meanwhile, Chase Sapphire Preferred awards one to five points per $1 spent on an ongoing basis and holders don't have to worry about foreign transaction fees.
A man booking travel online. (Photo Credit: Prostock-studio / Adobe Stock)
WalletHub named the World of Hyatt credit card the best for hotel stays. This piece of plastic offers an initial bonus of 30,000 points for spending $3,000 in the first three months, along with ongoing rewards of one to four points per $1 spent on purchases.
"Specifically, you’ll earn four points per $1 spent at Hyatt hotels, two points per $1 at restaurants, on tickets booked with airlines, transit and gym memberships, two points per $1 on all other purchases in the first six months (on up to $15,000 spent), one point per $1 on all other purchases after that," WalletHub points out.
"Altogether, the average person could save more than $4,000 in just two years using this card, according to our calculations."
When it comes to earning airline miles, the JetBlue Plus Card earns an overall WalletHub rating of 4.3. Users must consider the $99 annual fee and being limited to flying JetBlue. However, new cardholders receive 70,000 points for spending $1,000 in purchases within 90 days of opening an account.
Other top travel credit cards identified by WalletHub ahead of the summer travel season include:
- Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card — Best for Ongoing Rewards
- Chase Sapphire Reserve — Best for Excellent Credit
- Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card — Best for Big Spenders
- Discover it Miles — Best With No Annual Fee
- Regions Prestige Visa Signature Credit Card — Best for Road Trip Rewards
- U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card — Best for Travel & Dining
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