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Best Amex Credit Cards for Travel in 2024
Updated: October 23, 2024
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Travelers have multiple credit card options to choose from when they turn to American Express. If you favor using a particular airline or group of hotels over others, you might benefit by getting a co-branded Amex travel card. Irrespective of the card you choose from our selection, you stand to earn rewards in some form.
While some of the best Amex credit cards for travel come with annual fees, a few do away with them completely. This largely depends on the rewards and perks on offer. For example, while the benefit-laden Amex Hilton Honors Surpass Card charges an annual fee, the simpler Hilton Honors Card does not. However, it earns fewer points on bonus category purchases and includes fewer benefits. It is common for Amex travel cards to come with no foreign transaction fees.
OUR REVIEW AT A GLANCE
MoneyGeek's Take: Top 5 Amex Credit Cards for Travel
Quick Summary
- Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card: A great miles rewards card with no annual fees.
- Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card: An excellent credit card for earning Hilton Honors points.
- Hilton Honors American Express Card: A good travel rewards card for people who are casual guests at Hilton hotels and resorts.
- Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card: An excellent card for earning Delta SkyMiles.
- Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card: A great credit card for individuals looking for basic travel perks and more opportunities to earn miles.
The best Amex credit cards for travel offer a variety of travel-related perks and high points/miles earn rates on category-based spending, although these tend to come at a cost. We’ve selected the top five cards from this category based on factors such as annual fees, APRs, welcome offers and value of points/miles.
- Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card
A great miles rewards card with no annual fees
- up to 2 Miles per $1*Rewards Rate
- 20.99% – 29.99% VariableAPR
- $0Annual Fee
- Good–ExcellentRecommended Credit
Frequent Delta flyers who want to maximize their rewards will benefit from the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Amex Card. It offers a generous sign-up bonus, 2x miles on Delta purchases, free checked bags, priority boarding and more—making it ideal for Delta travelers.
Pros
- High rewards on U.S. dining
- Generous bonus miles offer
- High rewards on Delta flights
- Free first checked bag on Delta flights
- Priority boarding on Delta flights
Cons
- High annual fee after the first year
- Limited value if not flying Delta
- Earn 10,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first six months.
- Earn 2X miles per dollar spent on Delta purchases,
- Earn 2X miles per dollar at restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
- Earn 1X miles on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay With Miles: Take up to $50 off the cost of your flight for every 5,000 miles you redeem with Pay with Miles when you book on delta.com.
- Receive a 20% savings in the form of a statement credit after you use your Card on eligible Delta in-flight purchases of food, beverages and audio headsets.
- No foreign transaction fees. See rates and fees.
- No annual fee. See rates and fees.
- Terms apply.
- Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
An excellent credit card for earning Hilton Honors points
- 3–12 Points per $1*Rewards Rate
- 20.99% – 29.99% VariableAPR
- $150Annual Fee
- Good–ExcellentRecommended Credit
The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card is a fantastic option for travelers, especially those with a penchant for Hilton stays. Imagine walking into a Hilton property and enjoying complimentary upgrades, thanks to the Gold Status that comes with this card. Whether you're dining out stateside or shopping online, you're racking up points at an impressive rate. And for the globetrotters, there's no need to worry about those pesky foreign transaction fees. The card does have an annual fee, and while the perks cater primarily to Hilton enthusiasts, its broad rewards system can offer value to many.
Pros
- Generous welcome bonus
- Purchases from Hilton get bonus points
- Complimentary Hilton upgrades
- No foreign transaction fees See Rates & Fees
Cons
- With annual fee
- Benefits mostly Hilton-centric
- Earn 165,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 in purchases on the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer ends 1/8/2025.
- Receive up to $200 back annually on eligible Hilton purchases.
- Earn 12X Points on Hilton purchases, 6X Points at U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and U.S. gas stations, 4X Points on U.S. online retail purchases, and 3X Points on all other eligible purchases.
- Earn a Free Night Reward after spending $15,000 in a calendar year.
- Complimentary Hilton Honors Gold Status.
- Achieve Hilton Honors Diamond Status by spending $40,000 in a calendar year.
- Complimentary National Car Rental Emerald Club Executive status.
- No foreign transaction fees. See Rates & Fees
- $150 annual fee. See Rates & Fees
- Terms apply.
- See Rates & Fees
- Hilton Honors American Express Card
A rewarding travel card for people who are casual guests at Hilton hotels and resorts
- 3–7 Points per $1*Rewards Rate
- 20.99% – 29.99% VariableAPR
- $0Annual Fee
- Good–ExcellentRecommended Credit
The Hilton Honors American Express Card is a traveler's dream come true. With no annual fee and a generous welcome bonus, it's a financial no-brainer for those frequenting Hilton properties or just seeking exceptional value. Whether dining out stateside or shopping abroad, you'll accumulate points seamlessly without those pesky foreign transaction fees. And here's the kicker — this card instantly boosts you to Hilton's Silver status! Want more perks? Just up your spending game, and Gold status awaits. This card truly embraces both the occasional and the dedicated traveler.
Pros
- No annual fee See Rates and Fees
- Generous welcome bonus
- High earning rates with Hilton
- No foreign transaction fees See Rates and Fees
- Automatic Hilton Silver status
Cons
- Potentially high APR
- High credit requirement
- Earn 100,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the Card in the first 6 months. Offer ends 1/8/2025.
- Earn 7X points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged on your Card directly with hotels and resorts within the Hilton portfolio.
- Earn 5X points per dollar at U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and U.S. gas stations.
- Earn 3X points for all other eligible purchases.
- No annual fee See Rates and Fees
- Hilton Honors Silver status. Spend $20,000 in a calendar year to upgrade to Gold status through the end of the next calendar year.
- No foreign transaction fees.See Rates and Fees
- Terms Apply
- See Rates and Fees
- Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card
An excellent card for earning Delta SkyMiles
- 1–3 Miles per $1Rewards Rate
- 20.99% – 29.99% VariableAPR
- $350Annual Fee
- Good–ExcellentRecommended Credit
The Delta SkyMiles Platinum offers a valuable companion certificate but comes with a $350 annual fee. It's a reliable option for frequent business and leisure travelers who can maximize perks like free checked bags, but it’s considerable to note the lack of lounge access for top-tier Delta travelers who value this perk.
Pros
- Companion certificate
- Priority boarding and free checked bag
- High rewards on Delta purchases
- Medallion® Qualification Dollar boost
- Generous welcome bonus
Cons
- High annual fee
- No introductory APR offer
- You can earn 90,000 Bonus SkyMiles after spending $4,000 in eligible purchases within the first six months of card membership.
- Receive a Companion Certificate on Main Cabin domestic, Caribbean or Central American round-trip flights each year after renewal of your card. The Companion Ticket requires payment of the government-imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for round-trip domestic flights and no more than $250 for round-trip international flights (both for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
- Earn a $1 Medallion Qualification Dollar for each $20 spent.
- Earn 3X SkyMiles on Delta purchases and hotel bookings.
- Earn 2X SkyMiles at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. and at U.S. supermarkets.
- Earn 1X SkyMiles on all other eligible purchases.
- Eligible for the Complimentary Upgrade list with an eligible ticket.
- Receive Zone 5 Priority Boarding on Delta flights.
- Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights.
- Enjoy 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount is not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- $120 Resy Credit: When you use your enrolled Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card for eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants, you can earn up to $10 back each month in statement credits.
- Receive up to $120 in statement credits annually for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.
- Get a $100 statement credit for Global Entry or up to $85 for TSA PreCheck® application fees.
- No foreign transaction fees; see rates and fees.
- $350 annual fee; see rates and fees.
- Terms apply.
- Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card
A great credit card for individuals looking for basic travel perks and more opportunities to earn miles
- 1–2 Miles per $1Rewards Rate
- 20.99% – 29.99% VariableAPR
- 0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150Annual Fee
- Good–ExcellentRecommended Credit
Frequent Delta flyers who want to maximize their rewards will benefit from the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Amex Card. It offers a generous sign-up bonus, 2X miles on Delta purchases, free checked bags, priority boarding and more — making it ideal for Delta travelers.
Pros
- High rewards on U.S. groceries and dining
- Generous bonus miles offer
- High rewards on Delta flights
- Free first checked bag on Delta flights
- Priority boarding on Delta flights
Cons
- High annual fee after the first year
- Limited value if not flying Delta
- Earn 80,000 Bonus Miles after spending $3,000 in eligible purchases within the first six months of card membership.
- Enjoy a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150 after that. See rates and fees.
- 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app.
- $200 Delta Flight Credit after spending $10,000 in purchases in a calendar year.
- Earn 2X Miles on Delta purchases at U.S. supermarkets and restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S.
- Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- Check your first bag free on Delta flights, saving up to $70 per round-trip per person.
- Enjoy Zone 5 Priority Boarding on Delta flights.
- $100 back per year as a statement credit after booking prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays on delta.com.
- Take up to $50 off the cost of your flight for every 5,000 miles redeemed with Pay with Miles.
- 20% savings on eligible Delta in-flight purchases.
- No foreign transaction fees. See rates and fees.
- Terms apply.
Summary of the Best Amex Cards for Travel
Check this brief Amex travel card comparison table that’s based on aspects such as APRs, annual fees and welcome offers.
- Credit CardBest ForAvg. Reward RateAnnual FeeCredit Needed
- Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card
A great miles rewards card with no annual feesup to 2 Miles per $1*$0 - Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
An excellent credit card for earning Hilton Honors points3–12 Points per $1*$150 - Hilton Honors American Express Card
A rewarding travel card for people who are casual guests at Hilton hotels and resorts3–7 Points per $1*$0 - Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card
An excellent card for earning Delta SkyMiles1–3 Miles per $1$350 - Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card
A great credit card for individuals looking for basic travel perks and more opportunities to earn miles1–2 Miles per $10 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150
MONEYGEEK EXPERT TIP
While many travelers gravitate towards cards with no annual fees, you are often better off choosing a card with a fee. The included perks, like a free checked bag or annual free night, often outweigh any annual fee that you pay. -- Lee Huffman, credit card expert at BaldThoughts.com.
How to Compare Amex Credit Cards & Intro Offers
Features and benefits that you may find in one Amex travel card might be specific to the card in question. This requires that you pay attention to different aspects before arriving at a decision.
1
Co-branded or not
American Express offers co-branded cards in the form of Delta SkyMiles cards, Hilton Honors cards and Marriott Bonvoy cards. These cards might work well for you if you’re a frequent user of any of these brands. Otherwise, you can choose a card that earns Amex Membership Rewards points, which offer numerous redemption options.
2
APR
Travel cards tend to come with higher APRs than cards that don’t offer any rewards/cash back. If you plan to carry balances from one month to the next, consider looking at what the top low-interest credit cards have to offer.
3
Annual fees
The annual fee you might need to pay depends on the features and benefits you’re after. For example, the no-annual-fee Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card comes with up to 2x miles on category-based spending. While the Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card charges a $250 annual fee, it offers up to 3x miles on category-based spending. Besides, it comes with a more rewarding welcome offer as well as other perks such as an annual companion certificate, first checked bag free and credit toward Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fees.
4
Welcome offer
All the top Amex travel credit cards give you the opportunity to earn bonus points or miles through different welcome offers. If you get the Delta SkyMiles Blue American Express Card, you earn a welcome bonus of 10,000 miles by spending $500 on eligible purchases in the first three months. The Hilton Honors Card, on the other hand, offers 100,000 bonus points if you spend $1,000 on eligible purchases within the first three months, and an additional 50,000 bonus points if you spend a total of $5,000 in the first six months.
5
Points/miles earn rate
The annual fee that you might or might not need to pay typically has a bearing on this aspect, so you need to weigh your options after accounting for your spending patterns. For instance, the no-annual-fee Hilton Honors Card lets you earn up to 7x points on category-based spending. This increases to 12x points with the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card, which charges a $95 annual fee.
6
Value of points/miles
If you get a card that offers American Express Membership Rewards Points, their value may vary from 0.5 cents to 1 cent per point or higher based on how to choose to redeem them. If you get a co-branded card that offers miles or points linked to an airline or a hotel loyalty program, you typically get the best value when you use them to pay for flight or prepaid hotel bookings. In such cases, aspects such as dates, routes and specific properties may also affect the value of your miles/points.
7
Additional features
You may expect various card-specific features and perks from our selection of the best Amex credit cards for travel. These include no foreign transaction fees, no preset spending limits, complimentary travel insurance coverage, status upgrades in loyalty membership programs, weekend night rewards, Priority Pass lounge access, annual companion certificates and additional savings on in-flight purchases.
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About Doug Milnes, CFA
Doug Milnes is a CFA charter holder with over 10 years of experience in corporate finance and the Head of Credit Cards at MoneyGeek. Formerly, he performed valuations for Duff and Phelps and financial planning and analysis for various companies. His analysis has been cited by U.S. News and World Report, The Hill, the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times and many other outlets.
Milnes holds a master’s degree in data science from Northwestern University. He geeks out on helping people feel on top of their credit card use, from managing debt to optimizing rewards.
*Rates, fees or bonuses may vary or include specific stipulations. The content on this page is accurate as of the posting/last updated date; however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired. We recommend visiting the card issuer’s website for the most up-to-date information available.
Editorial Disclosure: Opinions, reviews, analyses and recommendations are the author’s alone and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. Learn more about our editorial policies and expert editorial team.
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Editorial Disclosure: Opinions, reviews, analyses and recommendations are the author’s alone and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. Learn more about our editorial policies and expert editorial team.
Advertiser Disclosure: MoneyGeek has partnered with CardRatings.com and CreditCards.com for our coverage of credit card products. MoneyGeek, CardRatings and CreditCards.com may receive a commission from card issuers. To ensure thorough comparisons and reviews, MoneyGeek features products from both paid partners and unaffiliated card issuers that are not paid partners.