What makes a good travel card?
A lot of cards call themselves travel cards. The good ones are great at at least one of these three things:
- Earning travel. Points or miles you can turn into flights and hotel stays, plus a welcome bonus to get you started.
- Better trips. Airport lounges, hotel status, travel insurance and vouchers that make the journey nicer.
- No fees abroad. Most cards add around 3% to every purchase in another currency. The best travel cards charge nothing.
No single card does all three well, which is why most experienced travellers carry two. Every figure below comes from the issuers' standard offers as of October 2026. Offers change often, so always check the issuer's page before you apply.
Quick picks
Compare the cards
| Card | Annual fee | Welcome bonus | Best travel perk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amex Preferred Rewards Gold | Free year 1, then £195 | 20,000 points after £3,000 in 3 months | Four lounge visits a year |
| The Platinum Card | £650 | 50,000 points after £6,000 in 3 months | Unlimited lounge access |
| BA Amex Premium Plus | £300 | 30,000 Avios after £6,000 in 3 months | Companion Voucher at £15,000 |
| Barclaycard Avios Plus | £240 (£20 a month) | 25,000 Avios after £3,000 in 90 days | Upgrade voucher at £10,000 |
| Virgin Atlantic Reward+ | £160 | 18,000 points after first purchase | Reward voucher at £10,000 |
| Marriott Bonvoy Amex | £95 | 20,000 points after £3,000 in 3 months | Free night at £25,000 |
| Barclaycard Rewards | Free | None | No fees abroad, including cash |
| Halifax Clarity | Free | None | No fees abroad, including cash |
Amex Gold and Platinum earn Membership Rewards points, which move to Avios and Virgin Points at 1:1. Bonus eligibility rules apply to every card.
Cards for premium travel perks
These cards earn points, but the real value is in what they add to the trip itself.
American Express Preferred Rewards Gold
- Annual fee
- Free year 1, then £195
- Welcome bonus
- 20,000 points after £3,000 in 3 months
- Earn rate
- 1 point per £1, double on airlines and abroad
- Key perk
- Four Priority Pass lounge visits a year
If you only get one travel card, make it this one. You pay nothing in the first year, the welcome bonus is enough for a short-haul return to Europe in Avios, and your points stay flexible. Move them to British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Emirates or hotel programmes like Hilton and Marriott when you're ready to book.
You also get four free Priority Pass lounge visits a year, double points on flights booked directly with airlines, and up to 10,000 bonus points when you spend £20,000 in a card year.
Suits you if you're new to travel cards, or you want flexible points without a big fee.
The Platinum Card from American Express
- Annual fee
- £650
- Welcome bonus
- 50,000 points after £6,000 in 3 months
- Earn rate
- 1 point per £1
- Key perk
- Unlimited lounge access for you and a guest
Platinum is the UK's best card for travel perks. You get unlimited Priority Pass lounge access for you and a guest, a second Priority Pass card for a supplementary cardholder, travel insurance (you need to opt in), and top-tier status with several hotel groups, including Hilton, Marriott and Accor. There's also a yearly dining credit you can use in the UK and abroad.
The fee is high, so do the maths honestly. If you fly a few times a year with a partner and you'll use the lounges, insurance and credits, it can pay for itself. If not, the Gold card earns similar points for far less.
Suits you if you travel often and will actually use the lounges, status and credits.
Cards for earning free flights
These cards earn airline points directly and come with vouchers that can be worth more than the points themselves. For a deeper look at every airline card, read our airline card guide.
British Airways American Express Premium Plus
- Annual fee
- £300
- Welcome bonus
- 30,000 Avios after £6,000 in 3 months
- Earn rate
- 1.25 Avios per £1
- Key perk
- Companion Voucher at £15,000 a year
Spend £15,000 in a card year and you get a Companion Voucher: two people fly on a reward flight for the Avios of one. It works in any cabin, including business and First, and lasts two years. You still pay taxes and charges for both travellers, but on a long-haul business class trip the voucher can save you tens of thousands of Avios.
Suits you if you travel as a pair and can put £15,000 a year on one card.
Barclaycard Avios Plus Mastercard
- Annual fee
- £240 (£20 a month)
- Welcome bonus
- 25,000 Avios after £3,000 in 90 days
- Earn rate
- 1.5 Avios per £1
- Key perk
- Upgrade voucher at £10,000 a year
The highest-earning card in the UK that pays Avios directly. Because it's a Mastercard, it works in the places that don't take Amex. Spend £10,000 in a year and you get an upgrade voucher, which lets you book a reward seat one cabin higher than you paid for in Avios.
Suits you if you want the most Avios per pound and a card that's accepted almost everywhere.
Virgin Atlantic Reward+ Mastercard
- Annual fee
- £160
- Welcome bonus
- 18,000 points after first purchase
- Earn rate
- 1.5 points per £1
- Key perk
- Reward voucher at £10,000 a year
If you fly Virgin Atlantic, this is the card. Spend £10,000 in a year and you get a voucher that gives you either a companion reward seat or an upgrade on a Virgin Atlantic reward flight. Virgin's Upper Class is one of the best ways to cross the Atlantic on points.
Suits you if you mostly fly Virgin Atlantic or Delta from the UK.
Card for free hotel stays
Marriott Bonvoy American Express
- Annual fee
- £95
- Welcome bonus
- 20,000 points after £3,000 in 3 months
- Earn rate
- 2 points per £1, 6 at Marriott hotels
- Key perk
- Free night at £25,000 a year
The only hotel credit card left in the UK, and a good one. You get 15 elite night credits every year, which gives you Marriott Silver status straight away. Spend £15,000 in a card year and you're upgraded to Gold, which usually means room upgrades and late checkout.
Spend £25,000 in a card year and you get a free night voucher for a hotel costing up to 25,000 points. You can add up to 25,000 of your own points to use it at a hotel costing up to 50,000.
Suits you if you stay in Marriott hotels a few times a year. See where to use your points in our guide to the best hotels to book with points.
Cards for spending abroad
Most rewards cards, including every American Express card, add a fee of around 3% to purchases in another currency. On a £2,000 holiday that's about £60 gone. These two cards charge nothing, so they're the ones to take on holiday.
Barclaycard Rewards
- Annual fee
- Free
- Fees abroad
- None on purchases or cash
- Earn rate
- 0.25% cashback
- Key perk
- Cash abroad can be interest-free if paid in full
No annual fee, no fee on purchases abroad and no fee on cash withdrawals abroad. You even earn a little cashback. Pay the balance in full and foreign currency cash withdrawals can be interest-free, which is rare for a credit card.
Suits you if you want one free card for every trip.
Halifax Clarity Credit Card
- Annual fee
- Free
- Fees abroad
- None on purchases or cash
- Earn rate
- No rewards
- Key perk
- Visa exchange rate with no markup
A long-standing favourite for travel. There are no fees on spending or cash abroad, and you get the Visa exchange rate. The catch is that interest on cash withdrawals starts straight away, so use it for card payments and keep cash withdrawals small.
Suits you if you want a simple, free card that just works abroad.
The simple two-card setup
Here's what we'd carry if we were starting today:
- At home: a points card. Put your everyday UK spending on Amex Gold (or BA Premium Plus if you travel as a couple) to build points for flights.
- Backup at home: a Mastercard. Barclaycard Avios Plus covers the places that don't take Amex, and still earns Avios.
- On holiday: a no-fee card. Switch to Barclaycard Rewards or Halifax Clarity for spending abroad, so you don't lose 3% on every purchase.
Points you earn at home pay for the flights. The no-fee card keeps the holiday itself cheaper. New to all this? Our Points 101 guide walks you through your first card step by step.
How to choose the right card
- Start with the trip you want. Free flights, better trips or cheaper holidays? Pick the card that's best at that job.
- Be honest about your spending. Vouchers and spend bonuses only pay off if you'll hit the target without spending more than usual.
- Work out if the fee pays for itself. Add up the perks you'll actually use. If they're worth less than the fee, go for a cheaper card.
- Check you can get the bonus. Amex usually only gives a welcome bonus if you haven't held a personal Amex card in the last 24 months.
Not sure where to start?
Every month we pick one card we'd open first if we were starting from zero.
Frequently asked questions
What is a foreign transaction fee?
It's a charge, usually around 3%, that most cards add when you pay in another currency. It applies abroad and when you shop online with overseas sites. The no-fee cards above don't charge it.
Can I use Amex abroad?
Yes, but acceptance varies by country and you'll pay a fee of around 3% on purchases in other currencies. That's why we suggest carrying a no-fee Visa or Mastercard as well.
Is a card with an annual fee worth it?
Only if the points and perks you'll actually use are worth more than the fee. For many beginners, a card with no fee in the first year, like Amex Gold, is the easiest way to find out.
Do travel credit cards include travel insurance?
Some premium cards, like Amex Platinum, include it, but you usually need to opt in and pay for your trip with the card. Always check the policy wording before relying on it.