Best Card to Use for Travel

Flights purchased directly from airlines or through American Express Travel on up to $500,000 per calendar year, plus prepaid hotels booked through AmexTravel.com.

Premium travel fit, but the annual fee and credits need to be part of the user's value math.

5X on Chase Travel and 2X on other travel purchases.

Can be stronger through Chase Travel, while direct travel purchases may earn differently.

Chase Travel purchases with an eligible Prime membership.

Useful for Prime households booking through Chase Travel; direct supplier purchases are different.

Flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.

Can be a practical travel card for Gold users who do not carry a premium travel card.

• Portal booking versus direct airline, hotel, rental car, cruise, taxi, or transit purchase.
• Travel credits that are unused, expiring, or already claimed.
• Trip protections, lounge access, baggage benefits, and hotel programs.
• Whether the reward category excludes credits, fees, or certain booking channels.

• The user's actual premium and no-fee cards.
• Remaining annual travel credits by card.
• Recent travel merchant coding and issuer portals used.
• Whether a card's annual fee has been offset by captured value.

No. A 5X portal rate may not beat a direct booking if the user needs a hotel loyalty benefit, airline protections, or a credit that applies only through a different channel.

Consider credits, reset windows, and the value of your existing cards alongside the headline rewards rate.