The world of bank cards can appear overwhelming if you’re simply beginning. However if you wish to transfer on out of your cash-back card (or perhaps a student card), you are in the suitable place. The appropriate starter travel card can supply far more rewarding perks.
With a lot data and so many choices, how are you aware which card to decide on? Would you like transferable points? Airline miles? Free nights with a hotel chain? There are not any proper or unsuitable solutions to those questions — it is all about what’s vital to you.
We have assembled this record of one of the best starter bank cards so you do not find yourself with rewards that do not match your objectives. None of those playing cards are tied to sophisticated, difficult-to-understand applications, nor have they got intimidating annual fees, although all of them have the potential for outsize worth.
And all of them are value maintaining in your bank card stock for the long run.
Associated: How to pick the right travel credit card for you
Greatest starter journey rewards playing cards
The data for the American Categorical Inexperienced Card has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or supplied by the cardboard issuer.
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Earn 75,000 bonus factors after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. |
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Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. |
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Earn 60,000 bonus factors after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. |
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Discover out your supply and see in case you are eligible for as excessive as 100,000 bonus factors after spending $8,000 on eligible purchases in your first six months of card membership. Welcome gives fluctuate, and also you might not be eligible for a suggestion. |
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American Categorical Inexperienced Card
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Earn 40,000 bonus factors after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership. |
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Earn 60,000 bonus factors after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. |
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Earn 25,000 bonus factors after spending $1,000 on purchases within the first 90 days of account opening. |
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Chase Sapphire Most popular Card
The Chase Sapphire Preferred is one among our favourite journey playing cards for a motive. If in case you have a adequate credit score rating, this card could be a improbable starter journey card.
Annual price: $95.
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Welcome bonus: Earn 75,000 bonus factors after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
Based on TPG’s Might 2026 valuations, these 75,000 bonus factors are value $1,538.
Why it is an ideal starter card: There is a good motive why the Chase Sapphire Most popular is our high choose for our record of starter playing cards. Along with the profitable welcome supply, cardholders earn 5 factors per greenback spent on journey booked by means of Chase Travel and a pair of factors per greenback spent on all different journey.
The Chase Ultimate Rewards factors it earns are simple to make use of with 11 airline and three hotel loyalty program partners, corresponding to United MileagePlus and World of Hyatt. Your factors will also be redeemed for as much as 1.75 cents apiece, relying on the particular redemption, if you guide journey by means of Chase Journey (see your rewards program settlement for full particulars).
The cardboard additionally has terrific travel benefits, together with main automotive rental insurance coverage and no foreign transaction fees. You may additionally get pleasure from $50 in annual assertion credit for resort stays booked by means of Chase Journey, and annually in your account anniversary, you will get pleasure from a ten% factors bonus in your spending from the earlier 12 months. Word that Chase has confirmed the ten% anniversary factors enhance profit will finish at a future date.
Once you add within the welcome bonus and an annual price of solely $95, you may have a card that provides nice worth, particularly in the event you’re simply beginning out on the earth of journey rewards.
To be taught extra, learn our full review of the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card.
Apply right here: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
Capital One Enterprise Rewards Credit score Card
The Venture Rewards would not have sophisticated bonus classes to trace, which can make it the right match to your pockets.
Annual price: $95.
Welcome bonus: Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
Based on TPG’s Might 2026 valuations, this welcome supply is value $1,388.
Why it is an ideal starter card: This card’s flexibility makes it excellent for vacationers getting began within the factors and miles world or those that aren’t inherently loyal to a single resort chain or airline.
First, you earn a flat 2 miles per greenback spent on every little thing, that means you do not have to maintain observe of various spending classes. Nonetheless, that incomes charge jumps to five miles per greenback spent for lodges, trip leases and automotive leases booked by means of Capital One Travel.
You may additionally get an as much as $120 credit score to cowl the applying price for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry.
With this card, you’ll benefit from Capital One’s 15-plus airline and hotel partners. This card packs rather a lot in for a $95 annual price and even makes the lower as one among our overall best credit cards for air travel.
To be taught extra, learn our full review of the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card.
Be taught extra: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Citi Strata Premier Card
If you would like a single card to cowl a variety of bonus classes, the Strata Premier is precisely what you are searching for.
Annual price: $95.
Welcome bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus factors after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
Based on TPG’s Might 2026 valuations, this welcome supply is value $1,140.
Why it is an ideal starter card: The great thing about the Citi Strata Premier Card is its breadth of bonus classes. The cardboard earns 3 Citi ThankYou Rewards factors per greenback spent on air journey, on resort purchases booked outdoors the Citi Travel portal and at eating places, gasoline stations, EV charging stations and supermarkets, serving to you rack up a lot of factors very quickly.
In the event you guide lodges, points of interest and automotive leases by means of cititravel.com, you will get pleasure from a improbable incomes charge of 10 factors per greenback spent.
In relation to spending these factors, you may switch them to any of Citi’s 21 travel partners.
You may also obtain $100 off one resort keep of $500 or extra (excluding taxes and costs) per 12 months if you guide by means of cititravel.com. The cardboard has no overseas transaction charges and a $95 annual price.
To be taught extra, see our full review of the Citi Strata Premier.
Apply right here: Citi Strata Premier Card
American Categorical Gold Card
The Amex Gold is a superb selection for anybody who spends some huge cash on meals. With this card, you will rack up tons of factors on a lot of your meals purchases.
Annual price: $325 (see rates and fees).
Welcome supply: Discover out your supply and see in case you are eligible for as excessive as 100,000 bonus factors after spending $8,000 on eligible purchases in your first six months of card membership. Welcome gives fluctuate, and also you might not be eligible for a suggestion.
Based on TPG’s Might 2026 valuations, this welcome supply is value as much as $2,000.
Why it is an ideal starter card: The Amex Gold Card is improbable for anybody seeking to leverage their on a regular basis spending for wonderful rewards whereas additionally having fun with helpful perks for issues like eating and ride-hailing companies.
This card’s standout classes are its 4 factors per greenback spent charges for eating at eating places worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on as much as $50,000 and $25,000 in spending per calendar 12 months, then 1 level per greenback spent, respectively).
Cardmembers additionally obtain as much as $120 in assertion credit every calendar 12 months (as much as $10 per thirty days) towards dining purchases at choose retailers and as much as $120 per calendar 12 months ($10 per thirty days) in Uber Cash towards U.S. Uber rides and U.S. Uber Eats orders after enrolling your Amex Gold Card in your Uber account. You possibly can redeem it with any Amex card.
Enrollment is required for choose advantages.
Different perks embrace entry to The Lodge Assortment*, the International Help Hotline^ and several other shopping and travel protections on the cardboard.
To be taught extra, learn our full review of the Amex Gold Card.
*A minimal keep of two nights is required; eligible fees fluctuate by property.
^The eligibility and profit degree varies by card. Phrases, circumstances and limitations apply. Please go to americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for extra particulars. Cardmembers are answerable for the prices charged by third-party service suppliers.
Apply right here: American Express Gold Card
American Categorical Inexperienced Card
The Amex Inexperienced is usually ignored, but it surely’s positively a card younger professionals and newbie vacationers alike ought to take into account.
Annual price: $150.
Welcome supply: Earn 40,000 bonus factors after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership.
Based on TPG’s Might 2026 valuations, this welcome supply is value $800.
Why it is an ideal starter card: The Amex Inexperienced Card’s broad bonus-earning classes and comparatively low annual price make it great for beginner travelers. With it, you will earn 3 factors per greenback spent on journey, transit and eating at eating places worldwide (together with takeout and supply within the U.S.), permitting you to rack up factors each at residence and whereas touring.
The American Express Membership Rewards you will earn with this card are extraordinarily versatile, and you’ll guide your subsequent journey very quickly by transferring your factors to one among Amex’s 21 transfer partners, together with Delta SkyMiles and Marriott Bonvoy.
You may additionally get journey advantages like an as much as $209 Clear+ statement credit every calendar 12 months, plus travel insurance and shopping protections. Enrollment is required for choose advantages.
Be taught extra: American Express Green Card
Wells Fargo Autograph Journey Card
The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey might not be the most-discussed journey rewards card on the market, but it surely gives compelling worth for these intrigued by Wells Fargo’s transfer partners.
Annual price: $95.
Welcome supply: Earn 60,000 bonus factors after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
Based on TPG’s Might 2026 valuations, this welcome supply is value $1,050.
Why it is an ideal starter card: Like many different playing cards on this record, the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey earns bonus rewards on eating and choose journey. As a cardholder, you will additionally obtain varied journey protections, plus a $50 assertion credit score annually after making an airline buy of $50 or extra.
Your factors will be transferred to any of Wells Fargo’s switch companions, together with standouts like Air France-KLM Flying Blue and Iberia Membership.
To be taught extra, take a look at our full review of the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey.
Be taught extra: Wells Fargo Autograph Journey Card
Financial institution of America Journey Rewards bank card
If you would like a card that provides simplicity or in the event you’re a Bank of America Preferred Rewards® member, we suggest trying out the Bank of America Travel Rewards credit card.
Annual price: No annual price.
Welcome supply: Earn 25,000 bonus factors after spending $1,000 on purchases within the first 90 days of account opening.
Why it is an ideal starter card: For freshmen, factors and miles can appear daunting, so it is good to have a card with a easy incomes construction. The Financial institution of America Journey Rewards gives 3 factors per greenback spent on journey purchases made within the Financial institution of America Journey Heart and an infinite 1.5 factors per greenback spent on all different purchases.
What’s extra, in case you are a Bank of America banking buyer, you may earn further factors underneath the Most popular Rewards program. Financial institution of America Most popular Rewards members earn a factors enhance between 25% and 75% (relying in your tier) on each buy.
Simply be aware that you will want a three-month common of at the very least $20,000 throughout your Financial institution of America and Merrill accounts to qualify.
The factors earned on this card will be redeemed as an announcement credit score for journey or eating purchases at a flat charge of 1 cent per level. This card would not cost a overseas transaction price.
To be taught extra, learn our full review of the Bank of America Travel Rewards card.
Apply right here: Bank of America Travel Rewards credit card
What credit score rating do you want for a journey bank card?
Most journey bank cards require good-to-excellent credit score, that means you will desire a rating over 650. That is to not say that you just will not be accepted in case your rating is not that prime, however it’s a good rule of thumb when contemplating making use of for a bank card.
In the event you do not presently have an excellent credit score rating or lack credit score historical past, you will need to construct credit score with a beginner or secured card or by becoming an authorized user on another person’s card.
Associated: What credit score do you need to be approved for the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card?
Remember about Chase’s 5/24 rule
In the event you’re nonetheless torn about which card to get, it is value desirous about Chase’s 5/24 rule, as it could actually affect your resolution. Based on this rule, Chase will possible reject your software in the event you’ve opened 5 or extra private playing cards throughout all issuers within the final 24 months (most business cards do not rely towards your whole).
Due to this restriction, standard knowledge is to begin by using up your five slots with Chase earlier than shifting on to different issuers.
Once you’re simply beginning with journey rewards, it may be simple to underestimate the significance of this rule, however Chase gives a number of the most valuable travel rewards cards on the market. If you aren’t getting them first, you won’t be capable of get them for some time.
Generally it is sensible to ignore the 5/24 rule and set off in a distinct course, but it surely’s not a call it is best to make flippantly. Until you may have an excellent motive for wanting elsewhere, it is best to begin with a Chase card first.
For extra on this rule and the foundations the banks use for bank card functions, see our information to credit card application restrictions.
Backside line
With so many journey rewards playing cards on the market, selecting which one to use for might sound overwhelming. However you may’t go unsuitable with any of the alternatives on this record, as all of the choices supply nice rewards charges and an introduction to the world of factors and miles. So, resolve what your journey objectives are, then use this information to choose the suitable card for you.
Associated: Are travel credit cards worth it?
For charges and costs of the Amex Gold Card, click on here.
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