The best travel cards offered by Chase vary a bit. For example, some only reward you for travel purchased through a certain airline, whereas others allow you more flexibility. And while some of these cards are free from foreign transaction fees, the trade off is that you’ll pay an annual fee.
By Daria Uhlig
- Quick Look
- Introductory APR
- No Foreign Transaction Fees
- Airline Rewards
- Premium Travel Benefits
- Airline Rewards With Low Fees
See if any of these travel credit cards from Chase match your lifestyle and spending habits.
5 Best Chase Travel Credit Cards
Take a look at this overview to learn more about the best Chase travel credit cards.
Best for: Introductory APR
High cash-back rewards, a valuable bonus offer and a 0% introductory APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months — followed by a APR — make the Chase Freedom Unlimited credit card the best in this roundup.
Pros
- $200 bonus after spending $500 in the first three months
- 5% cash back on up to $12,000 spent at grocery stores in first year, excluding Walmart and Target
- Generous top-level rewards on travel purchases
- Bottom tier pays 1.5% compared to 1% with other cards
- Easy-to-earn cash bonus
- Introductory APR good on both purchases and balance transfers
- Competitive APR compared to airline cards
- annual fee
Cons
- Balance transfer fee of $5 or 5%, whichever is greater
- 3% foreign transaction fee
Who would benefit from this card? Frequent domestic travelers who want a straightforward rewards program.
Best for: No foreign transaction fees
The Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card offers a 60,000-mile bonus once you spend $4,000 in the first three months of card ownership. That’s worth $750 in travel when redeemed through Chase Ultimate Rewards.
You’ll also earn 5x points on travel purchases via Chase Ultimate Rewards; 3x points for online grocery purchases — excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs — and on restaurant dining, takeout and eligible delivery services; and 2x points on all other travel purchases. Plus, if you travel internationally, you’ll benefit from the card’s lack of foreign transaction fees.
60,000-mile welcome bonus offer for spending at least $4,000 in the first three months
Generous top-level reward on travel purchases via Chase Ultimate Rewards
2x points on all other travel purchases
No foreign transaction fees
No introductory APR on purchases or balance transfers
annual fee
Who would benefit from this card? Domestic and international travelers who will earn enough points to offset the annual fee.
Chase United Quest Credit Card
Best for: Airline Rewards
The Chase United Quest credit card offers 3x miles on United purchases after you earn your annual $125 statement credit for United purchases and 2x miles on other travel. Additionally, the card offers an impressive 80,000 bonus miles if you spend $5,000 in the first three months, plus additional miles as flight credits.
High-value mile and cash back credits
Airline-specific perks like free checked bags and priority boarding
Ability to earn up to 3,000 Premier qualifying points while you earn miles
No foreign transaction fee
No promotional APR
Must fly United to take advantage of most rewards
High annual fee of $250
Who would benefit from this card? Frequent United flyers
Chase United Club Infinite Credit Card
Best for: Premium Travel Benefits
The Chase United Infinite credit card has the highest annual fee of any card in this roundup, but you get a lot for your money, including a whopping 100,000-mile welcome bonus for spending $5,000 in the first three months.
If you’re a frequent luxury traveler who flies United exclusively or nearly so, this could be the card for you.
Highest mile rewards among listed airline cards
High-value perks like United Club membership
Ability to earn up to 3,000 Premier qualify points while you earn miles
No foreign transaction fee
No promotional APR
Must fly United to take advantage of most rewards
High annual fee of $525
Who would benefit from this card? The most frequent overseas United flyers who place a premium on luxury.
Chase United Explorer Credit Card
Best for: Airline Rewards Without Big Fees
The Chase United Explorer credit card is a good choice for those who don’t travel enough to earn the kinds of rewards that make high annual fees worth paying. You still get decent rewards and plenty of travel perks. Plus, the annual fee is waived for your first year.
Earn 60,000 bonus miles for spending $3,000 in the first three months
Money-saving cash-back rewards
Can earn up to 1,000 Premium qualifying points
Travel benefits like a free checked bag and priority boarding
Annual fee waived for the first year
No foreign transaction fee
$95 annual fee after the first year
No promotional APR
Who would benefit from this card? Less frequent travelers who want a straightforward airline card for everyday spending.
Which Is the Best Chase Travel Card for You?
If you travel internationally and don’t want to be tied to a particular airline, the Chase Sapphire Reserve card offers a nice welcome bonus and travel rewards — if you don’t mind paying an annual fee.
The foreign transaction fees make the Chase Freedom Unlimited travel card a better choice for domestic travelers than for those who travel internationally. Plus, the card offers an introductory APR and no annual fee.
Otherwise, the stepped-up benefits of the airline cards could be worth the annual fees if you don’t mind flying United to earn rewards.
In the end, the card you choose should provide the highest level of benefits you’ll use without charging for benefits you don’t need.
Cynthia Measom contributed to the reporting for this article.
Rates are subject to change; unless otherwise noted, rates are updated periodically. All other information on accounts is accurate as of Jan. 11, 2022.
Editorial Note: This content is not provided by any entity covered in this article. Any opinions, analyses, reviews, ratings or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author alone and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any entity named in this article.
