Best credit card for travel (flights and hotels)

Travel rewards are where points and miles cards shine. The catch: the best rate often depends on how you book. Direct with the airline or hotel, or through a card's portal. And not all "travel" spend codes the same.

Amex Platinum: 5x on flights (direct) and prepaid hotels

5x Membership Rewards on flights booked directly with airlines or through Amex Travel, and on prepaid hotels booked through Amex Travel. Other travel (e.g. rental cars, tolls) earns 1x. The $695 fee is high; the card is worth it if you use the credits and lounge access.

Best for: Frequent flyers who book direct and can use the card's credits and perks. The 5x is one of the highest earn rates on airfare.

Chase Sapphire Reserve: 3x on travel and dining

3x Ultimate Rewards on travel (broad: flights, hotels, transit, tolls, parking) and dining. Points are worth 1.5¢ in the Chase travel portal or more when transferred to partners. No requirement to book through Chase.

Best for: People who want one card for both travel and dining and value flexibility. Travel is defined broadly.

Capital One Venture X: 2x on everything

Flat 2x miles on all purchases. No category bonuses, but no category exclusions. Miles are worth about 1.85¢ when redeemed for travel or transferred. Simple: every dollar earns 2x. Good for travel spend that doesn't qualify for 5x elsewhere (e.g. Airbnb, some OTAs).

Limitation: You give up higher category bonuses. Best as a catch-all alongside cards that earn more in specific categories.

Portal vs. direct booking

Some cards pay bonus rates only when you book through their portal. Portals can have different prices and inventory than booking direct. Always compare. If the portal price is higher, the extra points may not be worth it. Direct booking often earns the card's standard travel rate (e.g. 3x on Sapphire Reserve) and gives you more flexibility with the airline or hotel.

How cashew handles this

cashew's travel category includes flights and hotels. When you search a travel merchant or select the travel category, the app ranks your cards by earn rate. Use it to see whether your Platinum, Sapphire, or Venture X wins for the booking you're making.