It seems like you cannot make it through one commercial break without having someone push a credit card on you. Samuel L. Jackson, the vikings, that attractive woman from Alias, and plenty others all claim to have the card for you. But is it really?
The answer is no if you live the jetsetter lifestyle. Here are some great credit card options for people traveling more than a few times a year that want to maximize their gains on money spent flying and upgrade their quality of life along the way.
Best Luxury Travel Credit Cards for 2019
Before you continue reading, know this is not a post on how to hustle point systems – these are recommendations based on long term usage. Combine one of these luxury travel credit cards, with a debit card with no ATM fees, and you’re set up to take on the world. You will find options for utility player cards that cover all areas of travel, airline specific rewards cards, and hotel specific rewards cards. The list is not all inclusive.
The question becomes which credit card adds the most value to your travel style.
Utility Players
American Express Platinum
The American Express Platinum Card is a personal favorite for a number of reasons – primarily the Centurion Lounge. My travels often go through Dallas or Houston for all inbound and outbound flights. Both DFW and IAH have Centurion Lounges which reduce stress and over spending from multi hour layovers. They have nine locations worldwide with future locations in the works.
You can take two guests in for free. Upon check in, you are required to show a boarding pass, ID, and Platinum Card. Additional guests are $50/each. Free food, drinks, alcohol, wifi, TV, and more are waiting for you inside. Additional information can be found on our Airport Lounge related post.
Key Benefits:
- 60,000 points when you spend $5,000 in the first three month – you’re spending 8.3 cents per point.
- 5x on flights booked directly with airlines or American Express Travel.
- $15/month in free Uber rides.
- $200 Airline Credit – bag check, meals, and other incidental fees.
- Free TSA or Global Entry Pre Check – $85 or $100 credit, respectively.
- In addition to The Centurion Lounge you receive Priority Pass Select for access to over 1,300 lounges worldwide
- Rental Car memberships with elite status at Avis, Hertz, and National.
- Starwood Hotel gold member status – typically comes with a free room upgrade and drink coupon
- Concierge service 24/7 is helpful with outsourcing the hassle of reservations
- No foreign transaction fees
The American Express Platinum will run you $550 per annum. If you travel more than 2-3 times per year that annual fee should not be a problem between the $180 Uber credit, $200 Airline credit, and lounge access with free food and alcohol. The question becomes which credit card adds the most value to your travel style.
Chase Sapphire Reserve
Arguably the best travel card available if you do not regularly use the Centurion Lounge with American Express. Money Magazine named this “Best Premium Travel Credit Card” for 2018. We will dive right in to the perks that make this card a must-have for the jetsetter lifestyle.
Key Benefits:
- 50,000 points when you spend $4,000 in the first three months – you’re spending 8.0 cents per point.
- 1.5x on points when redeemed on travel through Chase – that 50,000 becomes 75,000 – now you’re spending 5.3 cents per point on the sign up bonus – 36% less than the Platinum Card.
- $300 annual credit applied to any travel related expense – this can be used on anything from Ube r rides to airline tickets to hotels as opposed to the Platinum Card where you select an airline for the year and must apply the credit to travel fees with that airline.
- 3x on points when the card is used for travel
- 3x on points when the card is used for dining
- Free TSA or Global Pre Check
- Priority Pass Select membership
- No foreign transaction fees
- $75 for additional users
The Sapphire Reserve will run you $450 per annum. Again, nowhere near difficult to recover that annual expense if you travel regularly. Additionally, the $300 travel credit is much easier to capitalize on compared to the American Express Platinum. The 1.5x multiple for booking travel through Chase is also a major selling point. However, this component could cannibalize benefits from a hotel or airline specific card if you prefer to use them. Overall, the Sapphire Reserve is the top choice if you want one card that does it all.
Airline Credit Cards
American Airlines – AAdvantage Executive Elite Mastercard
Executive Elite Mastercard is the high-end credit card offering from American Airlines. Give this option fair consideration if you prefer to fly American Airlines and want to take your air travel experience to the next level. One of the main selling points for this card is the Admirals Club lounge – comparable to the Centurion Lounge accessible with the American Express Platinum Card.
Key Benefits:
- 50,000 bonus miles with $5,000 in purchases within the first 3 months
- 10,000 Elite Qualifying Miles after $4,000 in purchases in the first year
- 1st bag free for up to eight travel companions on domestic flights
- Priority boarding on AA flights
- Priority Check-in
- 25% off on inflight food and beverages
- 2 miles per dollar spent on eligible AA purchases
- 1 mile per dollar spent on all other purchases
- Free TSA and Global Pre-Check
- No foreign transaction fees
- Up to 10 additional users at no additional charge
The card will run you $450 per annum. It’s time to switch your loyalty to American Airlines if you have been consistently flying United Airlines. Nobody should be flying an airline that beats up passengers, kicks you off so a Congressman can take your seat, or snuffs out helpless puppies. The American Airline Executive Elite Mastercard will make that transition to a top tier airline not only seamless, but quite enjoyable.
Southwest Airlines – Rapid Rewards Priority
The Rapid Rewards Priority Card is a great option for those looking to rack up airline points with a low-cost option. Southwest is one of the most passenger friendly airlines with destinations now available from coast to coast in the United States, throughout the Caribbean, and into Central America. This card is worth consideration if your travels are primarily confined to the destinations found in the map below.
Key Benefits:
- 40,000 points after you spend $1,000 in the first three months
- 20,000 points after you spend $12,000 in the first year
- 2 points per dollar spent on Southwest and Rapid Rewards Hotel and Car Rental Purchases
- 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases
- 7,500 anniversary points each year
- $75 annual travel credit
- Four Upgraded Boardings per year
- 20% back on inflight drinks, WiFi, messaging, and movies
- No foreign transaction fees
- Earn tier qualifying points toward A-List status
The card will run you $149 per annum. A strong selling point for this card, aside from the aforementioned benefits, is the companion pass. Southwest allows you to name one person who can fly with you for free without blackout dates. To earn the companion pass you need to rack up 110,000 Rapid Reward points in a single year. Once you hit that point level it activates the companion pass for the remainder of the year plus the following year. It behooves you to get the card at the end of the year so those sign up bonuses can be used toward earning the companion pass. You cannot go wrong with this premier low-cost airline or their credit card.
Hotel Credit Cards
Starwood Preferred Guest American Express
Starwood Hotels and Resorts is a subsidiary of Marriott International. Sheraton is Starwood’s flagship brand. There are over 300 properties in 70+ countries. This card can be very rewarding if you happen to stay consistently with a Sheraton hotel. Here is a list of brands accessible with this card:
St. Regis
The Luxury Collection
W Hotels
Westin
Le Meridien
Tribute Portfolio
Design Hotels
Four Points
Aloft
Element
Key Benefits:
- 75,000 points for $3,000 in purchases within the first three months
- 6 points per dollar spent on SPG and Marriott Rewards hotels
- 2 points per dollar spent on all other purchases
- 1 night free per year
- Silver Elite status
- Gold Elite status after you spend $35,000 in one year
- No foreign transaction fees
- Free internet in all rooms
The card will run you $95 per annum. It’s great for people loyal to the Marriott brand – if you travel regularly for work take advantage of those hotel points with this card.
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
The Hilton Honors Aspire Card is the high-end option of the three Hilton loyalty credit cards. Be advised this card can be rewarding for those regularly staying at Hilton, but American Express does offer Hilton Gold Status with the American Express Platinum Card along with much more flexibility in perks. However, the utility player cards do not offer as strong of a point system for hotel specific charges that you receive with the Hilton Honors Aspire.
Key Benefits:
- 150,000 points when you spend $4,000 in the first three months
- 14 points per dollar on Hilton charges
- 7 points per dollar on flights booked directly with airlines or amextravel.com, car rentals, & U.S. restaurants
- 3 points per dollar on all other purchases
- Complimentary Diamond Status – highest loyalty tier worth 30 nights or 120,000 points
- Free weekend night stay per year at Hilton plus additional night after $60,000 spent in calendar year
- $250 Hilton Resort credit per year
- $250 airline credit per year for bag check fees and in-flight meals
- Book 2+ nights and receive a $100 credit in qualifying charges at the hotel
- Priority Pass Lounge Access
- No foreign transaction fees
This card will run you $450 per annum. However, you can quickly exceed that amount in valued gained from the perks listed above if you prefer Hilton hotels when you travel.
Overall, there is an overwhelming number of travel cards available to fit your specific needs and preferences. These credit cards are only a few favorites we recommend with the utility players being the top two options given flexibility of rewards between airline, hotel, rental car, lounge, and point system. If you have not yet taken advantage of these added benefits – please do so now. Check out more information here:
Top Tier Airport Lounges
Moree Hot Springs