You are currently viewing Which travel credits are the easiest to redeem?

Which travel credits are the easiest to redeem?

  • Post author:
  • Post category:Travel

Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.

It’s becoming increasingly common these days to see cards charging annual fees in the range of $450 (or more). In many ways, premium is the new normal.

To convince customers to shell out hundreds of dollars a year, most of these cards offer some type of annual travel statement credit, but they’re certainly not all created equal. Some will range from automatic and easy to use to much more restrictive, with strict guidelines you need to follow to redeem those travel credits.

At TPG, we want to equip you with information that empowers your decision-making. So, we’ve created this chart to help you easily maneuver between some of the most popular travel credit cards that offer easy-to-use travel credits:

Card Welcome bonus Travel credit Annual fee
Chase Sapphire Reserve® Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first three months of account opening. $300 annual travel credit $550
Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® Earn 100,000 bonus miles after spending $10,000 within the first three months of account opening. Up to $120 in Lyft credits

Up to $120 in statement credits on Grubhub purchases

Up to $120 in statement credits on Avis or Budget car rentals

$595 (see rates and fees)
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card Earn 95,000 points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your card within the first six months of card membership.  Up-to-$300 dining statement credits at restaurants worldwide (up to $25 per month each calendar year)

Up-to-$100 luxury property credit on select stays of two nights or longer at Ritz-Carlton and St. Regis hotels

Enrollment required for select benefits.

$650 (see rates and fees)
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card Earn 175,000 bonus points after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership. Terms apply Up to $200 annual airline credit

Up to $400 annual Hilton resort statement credit valid at participating resorts

Up to $100 property credit on eligible stays of two or more nights at Waldorf Astoria and Conrad hotels

Up to a $189 credit per year toward a Clear Plus membership (excluding taxes and fees)

Enrollment required for select benefits.

$550 (see rates and fees)
The Platinum Card® from American Express Earn 80,000 bonus points after spending $8,000 on purchases on the card in the first six months of card membership. Up-to-$200 annual credit for airline incidental fees

Up to $200 hotel credit on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts or Hotel Collection property(minimum two night stay)

Up-to-$200 annual Uber Cash ($15 a month and a $20 bonus in December)

$189 Clear Plus credit

Enrollment required for select benefits.

$695 (see rates and fees)
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 in the first three months of account opening $300 annual travel credit for bookings through Capital One travel $395 (see rates and fees)

The information for the Hilton Aspire Amex card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Chase Sapphire Reserve

Travel credit: $300 annual travel credit

Standout perks: The Chase Sapphire Reserve is one of the most popular travel rewards credit cards. Despite its $550 annual fee, the $300 annual travel credit is incredibly convincing to encourage people to sign up.

THE POINTS GUY

Finally, the Sapphire Reserve rounds out with 3 points per dollar on travel and dining, a Priority Pass Select membership, access to a premium concierge service and a host of other perks.

Related: Chase Sapphire Reserve review


Apply here: Chase Sapphire Reserve


Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard

Travel credits: Up to $120 in Lyft credits, up to $120 in statement credits on Grubhub purchases and up to $120 in statement credits on Avis or Budget car rentals.

a hand holds a credit card
THE POINTS GUY

Standout perks: The Citi / AAdvantage Executive card has several statement credits and impressive earning rates. It stands out thanks to its complimentary Admirals Club membership.

The AAdvantage Executive offers fantastic rewards rates, with 4 miles per dollar on American Airlines purchases and 10 miles per dollar on hotels or cars booked through the AA travel portal.

You can also add authorized users, costing $175 for up to three individuals and $175 for each authorized user thereafter.

Related: Citi / AAdvantage Executive review


Apply here: Citi / AAdvantage Executive


Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card

Travel credits: Up to $300 dining statement credits at restaurants worldwide and up to $100 luxury property credit on two nights or more at St. Regis or Ritz-Carlton hotels.

a hand holds a credit card
THE POINTS GUY

Standout perks: In addition to these credits, this card offers automatic Marriott Platinum Elite status and a valuable annual free night certificate worth up to 50,000 points at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy program (certain hotels have resort fees).

Related: Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant review


Apply here: Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant


Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card

Travel credits: Up to $200 annual airline credit, an up to $400 annual Hilton resort statement credit valid at participating resorts, an up to $100 property credit on two nights or more at Waldorf Astoria and Conrad hotels and an up to $189 credit per year toward a Clear Plus membership (excluding taxes and fees).

THE POINTS GUY

Standout perks: The premium Hilton Aspire offers valuable statement credits to offset its annual fee. Aspire cardmembers will also enjoy a free weekend night certificate upon account opening and each year on their account anniversary, automatic top-tier Hilton Diamond elite status and a whopping 14 points per dollar on eligible Hilton purchases.


Learn more: Hilton Honors Aspire


The Platinum Card from American Express

Travel credits: Up to $200 annual airline incidental fee statement credit, up to $200 annual Uber Cash ($15 a month, which becomes a $20 bonus in December), $189 Clear Plus credit and up to $200 hotel credit. You must have downloaded the latest version of the Uber App and your eligible American Express Platinum Card must be a method of payment in your Uber account.

Amex Platinum
THE POINTS GUY

Standout perks: The Amex Platinum‘s high annual fee can be offset by taking advantage of complimentary Marriott and Hilton Gold elite status, access to the Amex Global Lounge Collection and a whole host of other perks. Enrollment is required for select benefits.

Related: Amex Platinum review


Apply here: Amex Platinum


Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

Travel credit: $300 annual travel credit for bookings through Capital One Travel.

a hand holds a credit card
THE POINTS GUY

Standout perks: The Capital One Venture X is a phenomenal card that disrupted the travel credit card industry several years back. The Venture X earns 10 miles per dollar on hotels and car rentals booked via Capital One Travel, 5 miles per dollar on flights booked via Capital One Travel and an unlimited 2 miles per dollar on everything else. Cardholders are also awarded 10,000 bonus miles on the anniversary date of card opening, however, where the card shines in lounge access.

Cardholders can add four authorized users (see rates and fees) at no charge, and both the main cardholder and authorized users (see rates and fees) — in addition to up to two guests — get complimentary Capital One lounge access. Plus, all guests traveling with the main cardholder or an authorized user (see rates and fees) can also access more than 1,300 Priority Pass lounges worldwide.

Related: Capital One Venture X review


Apply here: Capital One Venture X Rewards


Bottom line

For a long time, it’s been easy to brush over the annual fee attached to premium cards due, in part, to multiple annual statement credits that easily offset your upfront cost. However, recent changes and restrictions in how these credits can be used can affect the value you get from these high annual fee cards. Planning how you’ll use these credits before opening a card is important to ensure you can recoup your annual fee.

For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors Aspire card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum, click here.