Inside Budget Travel Cards
Choosing travel cards can be essential in your life for several reasons. First, there is a tremendous amount of savings when traveling using the benefits of a travel card.
On the other hand, it is possible to get numerous perks like flight upgrades, free hotel stays, free tickets, dinners, access to VIP airport lounges, and much more.
Whether you are already a traveler or would like to make traveling a bigger part of your life, getting a travel credit card can be a smart choice. However, many still believe that all travel cards are inaccessible and extremely expensive. Keep reading to understand how you can save a lot with a budget card!
Why Choose a Budget Travel Card?
There is no doubt that travel credit cards offer endless advantages. However, many of them have an inaccessible annual fee, excluding a portion of travelers.
For this reason, budget travel credit cards were created. They have functionalities very similar to traditional travel cards but are free.
These cards benefit not only frequent travelers, as previously mentioned, but also those who want to include travel in their routine. However, these cards can have even better perks for people who travel but not so often.
This is because, for people who travel very frequently, it may be worth having a travel card with high annual fees. That’s because the high perks make the savings outweigh the annual fee.
However, for infrequent travelers, the savings may not outweigh the expenses since the volume of travel is not so high.
The good news is that these travelers don’t need to go without a travel card; they can just opt for a budget one!
Top Features to Look for in Budget Travel Cards
Low Annual Fees or No Annual Fees
This is the main benefit you should look for in a travel card if you fit the case above. This way, you can get good perks for an affordable price or even for free!
No Foreign Transaction Fees
This is another highly desired feature in travel cards, whether budget or not. With the absence of foreign transaction fees, you can relax when doing your accounting during your trip!
This feature is very important to avoid surprises while enjoying your shopping.
Best Budget Travel Cards for 2024
Check out a short list of the Best Budget Travel Cards for 2024 in the USA:
1. Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card
- Annual Fee: $0
- Perks: Earn 1.25 miles per dollar on all purchases and no foreign transaction fees.
2. Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card
- Annual Fee: $0
- Perks: Earn 1.5 points per dollar on all purchases, no foreign transaction fees.
3. Chase Freedom Flex℠
- Annual Fee: $0
- Perks: Earn up to 5% cashback on rotating categories, plus 3% on travel purchases through Chase Ultimate Rewards.
4. Discover it® Miles
- Annual Fee: $0
- Perks: Earn 1.5 miles per dollar on all purchases, with double miles in the first year.
5. Citi Rewards+® Card
- Annual Fee: $0
- Perks: Earn 2 points per dollar at supermarkets and gas stations, plus rounding up on each purchase.
These cards are ideal for budget-conscious travelers, offering great perks without high costs.
How to Maximize Your Budget Travel Card Benefits
It’s important to know that you can use some smart strategies to maximize your miles earnings. For this, you can always be on the lookout for promotions and use them in conjunction with your card points. Also, pay attention to welcome bonus promotions and focus your spending on the credit card.
Summarizing
Budget travel cards are a smart option for those who want to save without sacrificing travel benefits. With cards that offer low or no annual fees, along with no foreign transaction fees, you can enjoy more accessible and convenient trips.
Whether to accumulate miles, earn rewards, or avoid financial surprises abroad, these cards are ideal for both frequent and occasional travelers. Choosing the right card can transform your travel experience and help you maximize your benefits without weighing down your wallet.
If you want to know how to manage your credit during your trips, also read: