Our picks by traveler type
- Most travelers: Chase Sapphire Preferred ($95). 5x on Chase Travel, 3x on dining, gas and EV charging, online groceries and vacation homes like Airbnb and Vrbo after the June 2026 refresh.
- People who hate tracking categories: Capital One Venture ($95). 2x on everything, plus 5x on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
- Frequent flyers who want lounges without a $795+ fee: Capital One Venture X ($395). A $300 Capital One Travel credit and 10,000 anniversary miles offset most of the fee if you use them.
- Big restaurant and grocery spenders: American Express Gold ($325). 4x at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets, up to annual caps.
- American Airlines loyalists without an AA card: Citi Strata Premier ($95). Citi ThankYou is the only transferable currency that moves to AAdvantage.
- Renters and homeowners: Bilt cards (from $0). They earn up to 1.25x points on rent and mortgage payments.
- No annual fee: Wells Fargo Autograph. 3x on restaurants, travel, gas, transit, streaming and phone plans. See more in our no-annual-fee travel card picks.
Side-by-side comparison
| Card | Annual fee | Earning highlights | Lounge access | Foreign fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chase Sapphire Preferred | $95 | 5x Chase Travel; 3x dining, gas/EV, online groceries, streaming, vacation homes; 2x other travel | None | None |
| Capital One Venture | $95 | 2x everything; 5x hotels, vacation rentals, cars via Capital One Travel | None | None |
| Citi Strata Premier | $95 | 10x hotels, cars, attractions via Citi Travel; 3x air, hotels, dining, supermarkets, gas/EV | None | None |
| Wells Fargo Autograph Journey | $95 | 5x hotels; 4x airlines; 3x dining and other travel | None | None |
| Amex Gold | $325 | 4x restaurants and U.S. supermarkets (capped); 5x prepaid hotels via AmexTravel; 3x flights | None | None |
| Capital One Venture X | $395 | 10x hotels and cars, 5x flights via Capital One Travel; 2x everything else | Capital One Lounges, Priority Pass | None |
| Citi Strata Elite | $595 | 12x hotels, cars, attractions and 6x air via Citi Travel; 1.5x everything else | Priority Pass Select; 4 Admirals Club passes | None |
| Chase Sapphire Reserve | $795 | 8x Chase Travel; 4x flights and hotels booked direct; 3x dining | Sapphire Lounges, Priority Pass Select | None |
| Amex Platinum | $895 | 5x flights (up to $500,000/yr) and prepaid hotels via AmexTravel | Centurion, Priority Pass, Delta Sky Club (10 visits) | None |
What changed in 2025 and 2026
- Sapphire Preferred refresh (announced June 15, 2026): new 3x categories for gas, EV charging and vacation homes; the hotel credit doubled to $100 a year; a $120 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck/NEXUS credit was added. The fee stayed $95. The 10% anniversary points bonus ended for new applicants, and transfers to World of Hyatt fell to 4:3.
- Sapphire Reserve fee rose to $795 (from $550) with the 2025 refresh. Other travel such as cruises and vacation rentals now earns 1x instead of 3x, and a stack of new credits arrived.
- Amex Platinum fee rose to $895 (from $695). Existing cardmembers started paying it on Jan 2, 2026.
- Bilt 2.0: the Wells Fargo–issued Bilt Mastercard closed to new applicants on Nov 5, 2025. Three new cards — Blue ($0), Obsidian ($95) and Palladium ($495) — launched Feb 7, 2026, issued by Column N.A.
- Venture X lounge rules tightened Feb 1, 2026: authorized users now pay $125 a year for lounge access, and free guests require $75,000 in annual spend.
- Amex Gold refresh (April 30, 2026): prepaid hotels via AmexTravel now earn 5x, up from 2x.
The mid-tier sweet spot
Three $95 cards cover most travelers. The Sapphire Preferred adds primary rental car coverage, trip cancellation and interruption coverage, and new emergency evacuation coverage up to $100,000. Its 14 transfer partners include United, Southwest, British Airways and Marriott. Read the full Sapphire Preferred review.
The Venture wins on simplicity: 2x on everything with no categories to track, plus access to 22 Capital One transfer partners. The Citi Strata Premier earns 3x in more everyday categories, including supermarkets and gas, and its points transfer to American AAdvantage. Its rental coverage is secondary in the U.S. and primary abroad.
Regular APRs on these cards are variable and run from 19.24%–27.49% (Sapphire Preferred) to 19.74%–28.74% (Venture), as of October 2026. Rewards rarely outrun interest, so these work best if you pay in full.
Are premium cards worth it now?
Premium fees jumped, and so did the list of credits. The Sapphire Reserve includes a $300 travel credit, a $500 credit for hotels in The Edit, $300 for dining and $300 for StubHub. The Platinum lists credits for hotels, Resy, lululemon, Uber, digital entertainment, CLEAR+ and more. Many arrive in monthly, quarterly or semi-annual pieces, so you only get full value if you keep track.
The honest test: add up the credits you would use anyway at full price, then compare that to the fee. If the gap is small, the Venture X at $395 often comes out ahead, since its $300 travel credit and 10,000 anniversary miles are easy to use. Our lounge access guide compares the lounge networks in detail.
How to narrow it down
Start with where your money goes and which airline or hotel you actually use. If you're loyal to one brand, a co-brand card may beat a general card — see our best airline cards and best hotel cards. If you want options, stick with transferable points. Our guide on how to choose a travel card walks through the decision step by step. Card terms change often, so check the issuer's site before you apply.
Frequently Asked Questions
A $95 card with transferable points, like the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Capital One Venture, suits most travelers. Both charge no foreign transaction fee and earn well on travel. Pick the Preferred for category bonuses and protections, or the Venture for flat 2x earning.
No. The fee stayed at $95 in the June 2026 refresh. Chase added new 3x categories, a bigger hotel credit and a Global Entry credit, but cut Hyatt transfers to 4:3 and ended the 10% anniversary bonus for new applicants.
No. The Wells Fargo–issued Bilt Mastercard closed to new applicants on Nov 5, 2025. Bilt now offers three new cards — Blue, Obsidian and Palladium — that launched Feb 7, 2026.
Most travel cards in this guide charge none. One exception is the no-fee AAdvantage MileUp card, which charges 3%. See our foreign transaction fee guide for full details.
Meet the New Chase Sapphire Preferred — Chase Media Center
The Most Rewarding Cards Are Here — Chase Media Center
Compare Credit Cards — Capital One
The Platinum Card — American Express
Amex Platinum 2025 Refresh — The Points Guy
American Express Gold Refresh 2026 — The Points Guy
Bilt Cards — Bilt
Venture X Lounge Access for Authorized Users and Guests — NerdWallet
Citi Strata Premier Review — NerdWallet
Chase Sapphire Preferred Review — NerdWallet
Card terms, rates and fees change often and APRs are variable. Information was checked in October 2026; confirm current terms on the issuer's website before applying. MoneyVerge may be compensated by some card issuers; this does not affect our assessments.