The Best 3 Credit Cards for Travel

As a very frequent traveler, I’m often asked which is the best credit card for travel redemptions. For me, it comes down to three benefits:

Earning extra airline miles/points for future flights
Extra benefits such as not having to pay for luggage, access to the VIP lounge with the airline, or upgrades
Earning free hotel rooms and upgrades

For bullets number one and two, this needs to be your most frequently used airline. I travel a lot, so I have several cards for Delta, and another one for American Airlines. And for number three, I have one card for Marriott (which I use the most by far) and another for Hilton (not as much, but it’s there when I need it).

So, what cards do I recommend?

First, let me say two things upfront:

a) Almost all of the cards I use have a high annual fee, between $250 and $695, and the benefits are well worth it to me. You need to weigh the perks you’d use against the annual fee to see if it’s a good value for YOU. I’ve listed the top benefits for each card.

b) Full disclosure: I like all of these cards and do recommend them, but please know that for some of these cards, I will receive a referral points bonus.

Here’s what’s in my wallet:

Chase Marriott Visa Ritz-Carlton Card (or the Chase Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful Card)
American Express Platinum Card
American Express Delta Reserve Card

Here are the features of each card, and links for each to find out more and/or apply:

1. Chase Marriott BonVoy Bountiful / Ritz-Carlton Visa

Choose any Marriott Bonvoy Credit Card that is right for you, at the link below.

As I mentioned, the Ritz-Carlton card is no longer available for new applicants. However, there is still a way to get it — you can product change or upgrade an existing Marriott Bonvoy card to the Ritz-Carlton card.

Chase does not permit new applications for the Ritz Carlton Card. However, they do allow a product change. So, to be eligible for a product change to the Ritz-Carlton card, you must carry one of the following Chase-issued cards and have held it for at least 12 months:

Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card
Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Credit Card

If you don’t have that access, go for one of the Marriott BonVoy Cards (I suggest the “Bountiful” for the most perks). Then, after holding it a year, you should be able to change to the Ritz Carlton card should you wish to. The link to apply for the Bountiful card is further below.

The Marriott BonVoy Bountiful Card Specifically

Earnings:

6 points per $1 spent at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy® (from card)
Up to 10 points per $1 from Marriott Bonvoy® for being a member
Up to 2.5 points per $1 from Marriott Bonvoy® with Gold Elite Status
4 points per $1 on grocery stores and dining (up to $15,000 annually)
2 points per $1 spent on all other purchases

Benefits:

Free Night Award every calendar year after $15,000 in purchases (valid for one night up to 50,000 points; resort fees may apply)
Automatic Gold Elite Status with Marriott Bonvoy each account anniversary year
15 Elite Night Credits each calendar year
1,000 bonus points per stay at participating Marriott Bonvoy® hotels
Premium in-room Wi-Fi at participating Marriott Bonvoy® properties
Visa Signature Concierge service 24/7
Trip Delay Reimbursement (up to $500 per covered traveler for delays over 12 hours)
Lost Luggage Reimbursement (up to $3,000 per traveler)
Baggage Delay Insurance (up to $100/day for 5 days)
Purchase Protection (up to $500 per item, 120 days from date of purchase)
Points do not expire with card activity at least once every 24 months

Annual Fee: $250
Foreign Transaction Fees: No

The Ritz Carlton Card Specifically

Earnings:

6 points per $1 spent at over 7,000 participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels worldwide
3 points per $1 spent on dining, car rentals, and airline purchases (when booked directly)
2 points per $1 spent on all other purchases

Benefits:

Free Night Certificate every year after account anniversary, valid for one night stay at a property with a redemption level up to 85,000 points
3 Club Level Upgrade Certificates per year, valid for paid Ritz-Carlton stays (up to 7 nights each)
Automatic Gold Elite status each account anniversary year as a Cardmember
15 Elite Night Credits each calendar year
$300 Annual Travel Credit (airline incidentals, lounge passes, seat upgrades, etc.)
Complimentary Priority Pass Select membership with unlimited lounge access for cardholder and guests
Global Entry or TSA Pre✓® application fee credit (up to $100)
Free authorized users, including their own Priority Pass access
No Foreign Transaction Fees

Travel & Purchase Protections:

$100 Ritz-Carlton property credit on eligible paid 2-night minimum stays
Trip Delay and Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance
Lost Luggage and Baggage Delay coverage
Purchase Protection and Extended Warranty
Return Protection
Primary Rental Car Coverage (theft and collision)
Roadside Assistance (up to 4 service calls per year)
Access to JP Morgan Concierge for dining, entertainment, and travel needs

Annual Fee: $450
Foreign Transaction Fees: No

All of the above benefits apply not just for Ritz-Carltons, but for all Marriott properties and brands. If you stay at the Ritz, there are some special club level upgrade certificates as well!

Choose any Marriott Bonvoy Credit Card that is right for you, including the Ritz, at the link below. Choose the “Bountiful” for the most perks, by selecting it from the top of the screen after clicking the link just below. Here’s a screenshot of the top of the screen:

I can be rewarded too if you apply here and are approved for this card.
Apply for the Chase Marriott Visa Bonvoy

🏨 Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful® vs. Ritz-Carlton™ Card

Compare Two Premium Marriott Cards for Travelers Who Want More

Earnings

Category	Bonvoy Bountiful®	Ritz-Carlton™ Card
Marriott Hotels	Up to 18.5 points per $1 (6X from card + 10X base + 2.5X Gold Elite)	6 points per $1
Dining & Grocery	4 points per $1 (up to $15,000 annually combined)	3 points per $1
Airlines & Car Rentals	N/A	3 points per $1
All Other Purchases	2 points per $1	2 points per $1

Annual Benefits

Benefit	Bonvoy Bountiful®	Ritz-Carlton™ Card
Free Night Certificate	1x per year after $15,000 spend (up to 50,000 points)	1x per year after anniversary (up to 85,000 points)
Elite Status	Gold Elite (automatic)	Gold Elite (automatic)
Elite Night Credits	15 annually	15 annually
Club Level Upgrade Certs	Not offered	3 per year (Ritz-Carlton paid stays)
Property Credits	Not offered	$100 credit on 2+ night Ritz-Carlton stays
Airline Travel Credit	Not offered	$300 per year (airline incidentals)
Priority Pass Lounge Access	Not included	Unlimited access for cardholder + guests
Global Entry / TSA Pre✓® Credit	Not included	Included ($100)
Free Authorized Users	N/A	Included, with lounge access

Protections & Perks

Feature	Bonvoy Bountiful®	Ritz-Carlton™ Card
Purchase Protection	Yes (120 days, $500/item)	Yes
Trip Delay Reimbursement	Yes (12+ hour delay)	Yes (6+ hour delay)
Lost Luggage / Baggage Delay	Yes	Yes
Rental Car Insurance	Secondary	Primary
Wi-Fi Benefits	Premium Wi-Fi at Marriott Bonvoy hotels	Same (Ritz benefit applies)
Concierge	Visa Signature Concierge	JP Morgan Concierge
Points Expiration	Doesn’t expire with activity every 24 months	Same

2. American Express Platinum

I have had this card since 1993, and it has so many great features:

Welcome Offer: Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards Points when you spend $8,000 within your first 6 months with your new Card
Earnings:
- 5X Membership Rewards® Points on flights booked directly with airlines or American Express Travel (up to $500,000 per calendar year)
- 5X points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel
Benefits:
- Up to $200 in statement credits annually for prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings
- $20 back in statement credits each month for eligible purchases on Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, SiriusXM, and The Wall Street Journal
- Up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year for incidental fees charged by a designated qualifying airline
- $200 Uber Cash annually, including Uber VIP status
- Up to $189 back per calendar year on CLEAR Plus Membership
- $100 credit for Global Entry application fee or up to $85 credit for TSA PreCheck® application fee
- Exclusive access to reservations and special dining experiences through Global Dining Access by Resy
Annual Fee: $695 (expected to increase in 2025)
Foreign Transaction Fees: No

Apply for an American Express Card with this link. With your new Card, you could earn a welcome bonus and Michael could earn a referral bonus. Terms Apply.
Apply for the American Express Platinum Card

3. American Express Delta Reserve

This one I can’t live without; I fly Delta too often! It’s not only great for earning SkyMiles, but it also helps me earn STATUS, which means so much more.

Welcome Offer: Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles when you spend $6,000 within the first 6 months on your new Card
Benefits:
- Free access to the Delta Sky Club on the day of travel for Delta flights, with four passes for one-time guests annually
- Complimentary entry to The Centurion® Lounge when booking a Delta flight with your Reserve Card
- $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars per Medallion Qualification Year to accelerate your progress towards Status with MQD Headstart
- Companion Certificate for first class, Delta Comfort+, or Main Cabin flights each year upon renewal
- Up to $20 per month in statement credits on eligible Resy purchases
- Up to $10 back in statement credits each month on U.S. rideshare purchases
- 15% discount on Award Travel on Delta flights using miles
- Priority for upgrades among other Medallion Members with the same level and fare class
- Complimentary upgrades for non-Medallion Members starting February 1, 2024, on eligible tickets
- $100 credit for Global Entry or $85 credit for TSA PreCheck®
- Triple miles on Delta purchases
- $200 annual statement credit for eligible prepaid Delta Stays bookings
- Enhanced car rental experience with Hertz President’s Circle Status
- No fee for foreign transactions
- First checked bag free on Delta flights
Annual Fee: $650
Foreign Transaction Fees: No

Terms apply and features and costs are always changing, so please check the details. The cards may have additional features that are not listed here. While I may receive compensation (bonus points) for referring some of these cards, they are literally my three favorite cards anyway, so I would recommend them regardless. Thanks for the support!

Let me know if you get one of these, have one of these, and what you think! -MG