The Best Premium Travel Credit Cards

There are certain travel rewards credit cards that grant the whole points and miles world a particular kind of halo effect. You know the kind of card I’m talking about—those sleek squares of metal that come with a bevy of benefits that make traveling more seamless or stylish or comfortable.

Yes, the annual fees are a lot higher than those of entry-level or mid-range travel cards, but the cards often come jam-packed with benefits that mitigate the costs. 

And if you feel like your current credit cards aren’t meeting your needs—if you want to earn points faster, for example, or if you need lounge access at the airport—then it may be time for you to upgrade what’s in your wallet.

Three best premium travel credit cards

I’m suggesting these three credit cards below because they offer increased points-earning rates, regular credits that offset their large annual fees, and some level of airport lounge access.

Moreover, I think these are the best premium credit cards currently available because of their ease of use. Other top-of-the-line cards can come with many caveats, but these three cards are convenient and accessible, on top of being packed with benefits.

What makes a “luxury” travel rewards credit card?

If you’re in the market for a luxury or a premium travel rewards credit card, you can expect a number of factors across the board, regardless of credit card issuer:

A high annual fee

There’s no way around it: A luxury credit card will cost you a luxury price upfront. Among the premium credit cards out there competing with each other for a spot in your wallet, annual fees start at around $395 and go all the way up to $695. So if you see a credit card with an annual fee within that range, you can also expect some or all of the following features below.

Yearly credits that offset that annual fee

The sticker shock when you see the annual fees for those fancy pieces of metal is totally warranted. That said, premium travel credit cards regularly come with annual credits that effectively reduce the cost to carry them. Some work as reimbursements on purchases made in specific categories (often travel purchases, of course); others offer memberships to services or amenities that you can use while traveling (and/or while at home); and one even gives you bonus credit card points every year when you pay the annual fee.

Increased points-earning rates

Traditionally, the top-of-the-line credit cards offer higher points-earning rates compared to their entry-level or mid-range counterparts. Some even offer ten points per dollar you spend on certain types of purchases. That said, the spending categories on a premium credit card should align with your own shopping habits and preferences; otherwise, you might be better served by a card with fewer fancy benefits and credits, but with categories that actually fit your lifestyle.

Complimentary lounge access

This is pretty straightforward: A premium credit card will come with some kind of complimentary access to airport lounges. Which lounges you can get into will depend on what kind of card you have. And bear in mind that not all airports will have lounges that you can access with your card—or have lounges at all. (Please do not cry “false advertising” because you were looking for an American Express Centurion Lounge at, I don’t know, Northwest Arkansas National Airport.)

A credit for Global Entry/TSA PreCheck® 

And finally, a premium credit card will likely (and, in my opinion, should) have a statement credit of up to $100 every four years as reimbursement for the Global Entry, TSA PreCheck®, or NEXUS application fee charged to the card. Note that getting Global Entry also grants you TSA PreCheck®; applying for TSA PreCheck® only gets you TSA PreCheck®. 

Not sure what Global Entry and TSA PreCheck® are? Put simply, the former expedites the immigration process when you enter the United States from abroad; the latter grants access to an expedited security lane before departures—but not every airport or airline participates in TSA PreCheck®.

Is a luxury travel credit card worth it?

It can take a second to get the hang of traveling with a premium points-earning card, but the advantages can be extremely worthwhile—as long as its benefits actually meet your needs. When deciding what card (or cards) is right for you, always ask yourself: Is this a must-have card? Or is it just a nice-to-have card?

If you’re not able to take advantage of a benefit offered by a card, then that benefit is essentially useless, and should not be considered when deciding to pick up that card or not.  If you drive your own car, then you might value an Uber Cash credit a whole lot less than someone without a car. But will the other benefits be worth that hefty annual fee? That’s up to you.

All that said, it could be worth it to take any of these three cards out for a spin. There’s no better way to learn how a car drives than to get behind the wheel. If it’s not a fit for you, you can always “downgrade” a card to its mid-range counterpart.