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What Credit Cards Have The Best Airport Perks?

Travel2 years ago
Person walking through an Airport Terminal

If you are a frequent traveler, either for business or leisure, you are missing out if you aren't taking advantage of the many travel and airport perks which come with owning credit cards. If you pick one of the best travel credit cards with great perks, you may be able to enjoy a whole range of benefits which could include:

  • Airport lounge access
  • Frequent Flyer Points on your purchases.
  • Discounts on pre-TSA agency checks.
  • Anniversary air mile points are awarded for each year you have the card.

If you have a credit card that gives lots of benefits to travelers, you can earn miles towards your next journey when making ordinary purchases and then take advantage of extra perks once you reach the airport.

But, as you will see from a simple Google search, many different credit card companies have realized that offering travel and airport perks is a highly effective way to entice new customers. So, what are the best travel credit cards for 2022?

 

How Do you pick the Best Travel Credit Cards for You?

Before you get started with our list below, you should take a minute to think about which travel perks are going to be most important to you. Are you looking to rack up as many air miles with your purchases as possible? Are you more interested in the airport lounge access you being a card owner will give you? Are you looking for discounts on related travel expenditures such as car hire and hotel bookings?

Make sure you know what is most important to you and then read through our list of the Best Travel Credit Cards 2022 to see what travel credit cards are suitable for your requirements.

The Platinum Card® from American Express

Experienced Users

Intro offer

80,000 Points

Annual Fee

$695.00

Recommended Credit

690-850GoodExcellent

80,000 Points

AE Platinum.png

Best Travel Credit Cards 2022

Venture X Rewards Capital One Credit Card

This premium travel card from Capital One has a whole host of travel benefits and airport perks associated with its use; this makes it an extremely popular choice for those looking for great travel benefits without the high annual fee which can be associated with travel rewards credit cards. You can use the air mile points you rack up during your everyday purchases to cover your flight, hotel, and rental car expenses. Or else you can transfer them to one of Capital One's Miles Transfer Partners.

  • $95 Annual Fee
  • 750,000 bonus mile points after spending $4,000 on purchases using your card within the first three months from account opening.
  • Up to $300 statement credits annually on the bookings you made through Capital One Travel.
  • 10,000 bonus air miles with each anniversary of you owning the card.
  • Complimentary access to the Capital One Lounges and those in their Partner Lounge Network.
  • Up to $100 worth of credit for Global Entry or TSA Precheck.
  • Earn 10x miles when booking your hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
  • Earn 5x miles on your flight when you book them through Capital One Travel.
  • Earn 2x miles on other purchases using your card.

 

Chase Sapphire Reserve Travel Credit Card

Chase credit cards are a huge player in the travel purchases sector, with one in every four dollars being spent on leisure travel in the US being through one of their cards! And if you look below, you can see why! There are lots of great travel and airport perks to be enjoyed if you decide to take advantage of this credit card's travel rewards program. These include the following:

  • $550 Annual Fee
  • Earn 60,000 bonus points after your spend $4,000 on purchases within three months of opening your account.
  • Up to $300 travel credit on travel purchases made on your card each year.
  • Entry to over 1,300 airport lounges after enrolling in Priority Pass Select.
  • $100 credit on your Global Entry membership, TSA Precheck membership, or Nexus membership every four years.
  • 50% more spending value when you redeem your points on travel accrued through Chase Ultimate Rewards Scheme.
  • Includes Insurance for Travel Cancellation or Disruption, Lost Luggage, Vehicle Collision damage, and other potential problems when you travel.
  • 5x points earned on spending on travel purchased through Chase.
  • 10x points earned when booking cards and hotels purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards. (Please note this applies after you have spent your first $300 annually on travel through Chase Ultimate.)
  • Earn 3x points on other travel and dining purchases.
  • 1x points per $1 spent on all other eligible purchases.

Picture of a travel bag in an Airport Terminal

American Express Platinum Card

When it comes to premium access and top-of-the-line airport experiences, then being an American Express Platinum holder is hard to beat! Your Amex Platinum card will ensure you have the best possible perks at the airport and ensures lots of great benefits when it comes to booking flights, hotels, and travel.

  • $695 Annual Fee
  • 100,000 Rewards Points once you spend $6,000 on your card within the first 6 months of opening your account.
  • Amex Centurion Lounge access for over 40 lounges and studios in airports worldwide.
  • Up to $200 statement credit each year on purchases on Fine Hotels + Resorts or booking the Hotel Collection using your Amex Platinum Card.
  • Up to $200 statement credit annually on flights booked with qualifying airlines using your Platinum card.
  • 5x Reward points on airline bookings for up to $500,000 worth of flights each year paid for with your Amex Platinum Card.
  • 5x Rewards on prepaid hotel bookings using your card.
  • Up to $200 in statement credits on baggage fees at a selected eligible airline.
  • $189 credit for your Clear Membership.
  • Up to $200 in Uber Cash annually if you are a Basic Card Member.
  • Up to $20 back each month on entertainment package purchases made on your Platinum Card.
  • Receive $300 credit on an Equinox Gym Membership when you pay your fees with your Platinum Card.

 

United Explorer Travel Credit Card

In terms of making your passage through the airport easier, owning a United Explorer Credit card can work to smooth the entire process for you. Not only will you get complimentary passes into the United Club, but you will also enjoy priority booking, free checked luggage, and cash back on your precheck memberships.

  • $0 Annual fee your first year and then $95 annually.
  • 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 using your card within the first three months of opening your account.
  • Priority Boarding Privileges
  • 2 one-time passes to the United Club for each year you own the card.
  • Free first checked luggage.
  • Up to $100 credit on TSA Precheck, Global Entry or Nexus membership.
  • 2x miles on $1 spent on United Purchases, hotel bookings and dining using your card.
  • 25% statement credit on your food, drink and wi-fi purchases on United Flights using your Explorer Card.
  • One year of free membership for DashPass.

 

Summary - What Credit Cards have the Best Airport Perks?

When researching "what are the best travel credit cards," you should, first of all, think about what your priorities are when you travel. Do you regularly travel for business and face a lot of hours waiting around in airports for your next flight? Then applying for a card that offers free airport lounge access might be a smart choice. If you are tired of waiting in TSA check lines, you should make sure to get a travel card that will give you cash back on your TSA pre-check memberships.

Remember to always do your research and due diligence on which fees and terms apply before signing up for any card. Making sure that you pick the best travel credit cards for your particular travel habits is essential to ensure that you can start deriving the greatest amount of perks and enjoy an improved and smoother process the next time you make your way through the airport.

Plane flying in the air