What is the Best Travel Rewards Credit Card?

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Travel Rewards Credit Cards: Are They Worth it for Families?

If you’ve ever dreamed of flying your family to Europe for $12 thanks to credit card points, you’ve probably seen a shiny ad or two about travel rewards cards. Here’s the truth: points are great if you know how to use them – but they’re not free money.

Most of us don’t have the ability to spend $50K on our credit cards and reap the rewards, not to mention the schedule flexibility to take advantage of flight deals.

So, what’s a WS&T devotee to do?

The Basics of Travel Cards

Earning Points: You earn points by spending money, and those points can be redeemed for travel perks.
Annual Fees: Many travel cards have hefty annual fees, but the perks (e.g., travel credits, lounge access) can offset the cost.
Best for Regular Travelers: If your family travels often, the rewards can add up.

WS&T Tip: Check out sites like The Points Guy and do your own research. If you tend to stick to domestic or European travel, you may want to pick an airline and apply specifically for their credit card (taking advantage of the signing bonus) and then rack up both points and status on that particular airline.

So, what is the best travel rewards credit card?

There are so many to choose from! While many banks offer competative travel rewards cards, we believe our pick is the best travel rewards credit card for the WS&T family.

Chase Sapphire Reserve: Our Favorite Travel Credit Card

We love the Chase Sapphire Reserve for its family-friendly benefits. Chase also offers the Chase Sapphire Preferred for a much cheaper annual fee ($95 vs. $550), but for frequent travelers I believe the Sapphire Reserve benefits more than pay for themselves.

Chase Sapphire Reserve Perks and Benefits

Annual Fee: $550
Annual Travel Credit: $300
- This credit automatically applies to your account each year, refunding travel-related expenses until you reach $300. I usually see these credits within about a week—which is a nice perk! Effectively, this brings the card’s net annual fee closer to $250, though that $550 upfront hit can still sting.
TSA Pre-Check or Global Entry Fee Reimbursement
Access to Sapphire Lounges and Priority Pass Lounges
Complimentary Lyft Pink (1 Year; Activation Required)
Complimentary DoorDash DashPass (1 Year; Activation Required)

The card also has an excellent points-earning structure:

10x points on travel booked through the Chase portal (something I use occasionally)
10x points on Lyft rides
Plus various other bonus categories and point boosts

You can transfer points at a 1:1 ratio to a wide range of travel partners, which makes it easy to turn everyday spending into free or discounted flights, hotel stays, and more.

Using Points Like a Pro

Use points for flights or hotel stays where you’ll get the most value.
Look for signup bonuses (e.g., spend $4,000 in 3 months and get 60,000 points).
- Hit the spending quota within the first few months to unlock the signup bonus points. At the time of writing, you’ll need to spend $4,000 in the first three months. I put some of my big bills on the card, like our family’s health insurance (Gee thanks, USA), so it’s pretty easy to hit that spend quota.
Transfer points strategically—some cards partner with airlines or hotels for better redemption rates.

Another huge plus: built-in travel insurance and car rental insurance, so you can skip paying extra for those. However, be sure to read the fine print. For instance, if you rely on the card’s car rental coverage, you have to decline the rental agency’s insurance. You might need to pay out of pocket for damages initially and be reimbursed afterward, so understand the policy thoroughly to avoid surprises.

WS&T Tip: It's key to pay off your balance in full each month. Those points aren’t worth sky-high interest fees.

It takes a bit of digging and research to unlock all the card’s benefits, but the bottom line is simple: spend money, earn points, redeem for travel. On average, I manage to get a couple of free flights or car rentals every year with my Sapphire points—which I definitely consider worth it!

If you'd like to go for the Chase Sapphire Reserve or Preferred, consider applying via my referral link. For a limited time, you can get 100,000 bonus points if you get the Chase Sapphire Preferred card. You'll always earn 60,000 bonus points with the Chase Sapphire® Reserve card. I can be rewarded if you apply here and are approved for the card.

Real Talk: Manage Your Expectations

If you’re not a frequent traveler or high spender, don’t stress about maximizing points. A good cashback card might work better for your family’s needs.

ATM Fee Reimbursements: A Budget Traveler’s Secret Weapon

One of my favorite travel hacks is using a bank account or debit card that refunds your ATM fees—no matter where in the world you are. There’s nothing worse than realizing you’ve just shelled out half the cost of your morning flat white simply for the privilege of withdrawing your own money.

A few big players in this space are:

Charles Schwab Bank High Yield Investor Checking: Unlimited worldwide ATM fee reimbursements.
Fidelity Cash Management Account: Also reimburses ATM fees globally.
Some credit unions or online banks occasionally offer fee reimbursements (though terms may vary by month or location).

Keep an eye on any monthly reimbursement caps or minimum balance requirements, and note that foreign transaction fees could still apply if you’re using a standard debit or credit card (though many of these accounts waive those, too).

Dodging those “gotcha” ATM fees can free up a surprising amount of extra cash.

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