Travel credit cards compared: earning, credits, protections

How do the annual fees and earning rates compare?

The Capital One Venture X earns 2X miles on all other purchases, double the base rate on the other three cards. [3] The Citi Strata Premier earns 3X in several everyday categories outside travel, including restaurants, supermarkets and gas or EV charging. [4]

What travel credits does each card include?

• American Express Platinum Card. Up to $600 a year in hotel statement credits, paid as up to $300 semi-annually on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel; The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay. [1] A $200 airline fee credit covers incidental fees charged by one selected qualifying airline each calendar year, and up to $200 in Uber Cash is available as $15 monthly plus a $20 bonus in December for US rides and orders. [1]
• Chase Sapphire Reserve. Up to $300 in statement credits for travel purchases each account anniversary year, with qualifying purchases earning no points. [2] The Edit credit is up to $250 per prepaid booking and up to $500 annually, with a two-night minimum. [2] A separate $300 dining credit is split $150 from January through June and $150 from July through December at Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables restaurants on OpenTable. [2]
• Capital One Venture X. Premier Collection hotel bookings carry an experience credit of up to $100, and Lifestyle Collection bookings up to $50, applied at checkout by the hotel to qualifying charges; bookings must be made through Capital One Travel in the cardholder's name, with the cardholder travelling. [3]
• Citi Strata Premier. A $100 annual hotel benefit applies once per calendar year to a single stay of $500 or more, excluding taxes and fees, booked through cititravel.com or by phone, and is applied instantly at booking. [4]

The rules for these travel credits differ by card. [1] [2] [3] [4]

How does airport lounge access compare?

The American Express Platinum Card includes the Global Lounge Collection, described as more than 1,550 airport lounges as of January 2026, with Centurion Lounges, 10 Delta Sky Club visits when flying on an eligible Delta flight, Priority Pass membership with enrolment required, and other partner lounges. [1]

Chase Sapphire Reserve includes access to Chase Sapphire Lounges by The Club with up to two complimentary guests, and more than 1,300 Priority Pass airport lounges worldwide with up to two guests. [2] For Priority Pass Select, primary cardmembers and authorized users have membership activated automatically and are allowed a maximum of two accompanying guests each; additional Priority Pass guests are charged $27 per guest per visit. [2] A physical card or Priority Pass digital membership card is required, and a card in a digital wallet is not accepted. [2]

Capital One Venture X gives primary cardholders access to Capital One Lounge and Landing locations and more than 1,300 Priority Pass lounges, with enrolment required for Priority Pass; Capital One Lounge access is not guaranteed and depends on space. [3] For the rules that sit behind these benefits, see the glossary entry on airport lounge access.

What travel protections do the cards include?

• American Express Platinum Card. Car rental loss and damage cover is secondary, does not include liability cover, and is not available for vehicles rented in Australia, Italy or New Zealand. [1] Trip delay cover applies when a round trip is paid entirely with the card and a covered reason delays the trip more than six hours, reimbursing up to $500 per trip with a maximum of two claims per 12 consecutive months. [1] Trip cancellation and interruption cover runs to $10,000 per trip and $20,000 per card per 12 consecutive months. [1]
• Chase Sapphire Reserve. Auto rental cover is primary and reimburses up to $75,000 for theft and collision damage when the cardholder declines the rental company's collision insurance and charges the entire rental to the card; for New York residents, cover inside the US is secondary to personal auto insurance. [2] Trip cancellation and interruption cover runs to $10,000 per covered traveller and $20,000 per trip, and trip delay cover reimburses up to $500 per covered traveller for delays over six hours or overnight stays. [2] Lost luggage cover is up to $3,000 per covered traveller, and baggage delay cover is $100 a day for up to five days when baggage is delayed over six hours. [2]
• Capital One Venture X. Cell phone protection reimburses up to $800 if the phone is stolen or damaged when the bill is paid with the card. [3]
• Citi Strata Premier. The card includes trip cancellation and trip interruption cover for common carrier travel, trip delay cover, lost or damaged luggage cover and MasterRental car rental coverage. [4]

American Express and Chase also provide purchase protections separate from the travel cover described above. [1] [2]

How do transferable points rules differ?

American Express Membership Rewards points can be transferred to 20 airline and hotel travel partners. [1] Chase Ultimate Rewards points transfer to airline and hotel loyalty programmes and do not expire while the account remains open, though they are lost immediately if the account status changes or the account is closed for programme misuse, fraudulent activity or other reasons in the rewards agreement. [2]

Capital One Venture X miles transfer to more than 15 travel loyalty programmes; once a transfer is final, the receiving programme's terms apply, and miles do not expire for the life of the account. [3] Citi ThankYou Points transfer to American Airlines, JetBlue, Virgin Atlantic, Cathay, Eva Air, Choice Hotels, The Leading Hotels of the World and others, with a minimum transfer of 1,000 points and no expiration on points earned. [4] The glossary explains the wider idea of transferable points.

What are the exceptions and limits?

• American Express hotel credits apply only to prepaid bookings through American Express Travel, and The Hotel Collection requires two nights. [1] The airline fee credit covers incidental fees on one selected qualifying airline, and qualifying airlines can change. [1]
• Chase's $300 travel credit runs on the account anniversary year rather than the calendar year, and qualifying purchases earn no points. [2] Chase may reverse credits if a qualifying purchase is returned, cancelled or modified, or if the account is closed within 90 days of the credit. [2]
• For Chase Priority Pass Select, the primary cardmember and each authorized user may bring up to two accompanying guests; additional Priority Pass guests are charged $27 per guest per visit, and access may be denied when a lounge is at capacity. [2] Chase Sapphire Lounges allow up to two complimentary guests. [2] Capital One lounge access is not guaranteed. [3]
• American Express car rental cover is secondary and excludes rentals in Australia, Italy and New Zealand; Chase auto rental cover is primary but is secondary for New York residents renting inside the US. [1] [2]
• Capital One transfers are final, and the receiving programme's terms then apply; Citi transfers have a 1,000-point minimum. [3] [4]

Frequently asked questions

Which card has the highest annual fee?

The American Express Platinum Card has a $895 annual fee for a Basic Card as of 18 October 2026, the highest of the four. [1] Chase Sapphire Reserve is $795, Capital One Venture X is $395 and Citi Strata Premier is $95. [2] [3] [4]

Do any of these cards charge foreign transaction fees?

No. Each of the four issuer pages states that the card has no foreign transaction fees. [1] [2] [3] [4]

Can I transfer points to airline programmes?

Yes. American Express points transfer to 20 airline and hotel partners, Capital One miles to more than 15 travel loyalty programmes, and Citi ThankYou Points to carriers including American Airlines, JetBlue, Virgin Atlantic, Cathay and Eva Air. [1] [3] [4] Chase points transfer to airline and hotel loyalty programmes. [2]

Does lounge access include guests?

Chase Sapphire Reserve allows up to two complimentary guests at Chase Sapphire Lounges. [2] For Priority Pass Select, the primary cardmember and each authorized user may bring up to two accompanying guests, and additional Priority Pass guests are charged $27 per guest per visit. [2] American Express includes 10 Delta Sky Club visits when flying an eligible Delta flight and requires enrolment for Priority Pass. [1] Capital One Venture X access is not guaranteed and is subject to space. [3]

Related pages

Frequent flyer glossary · Points and miles terms · Loyalty programme terms · Travel benefits terms

Sources

Sources checked on 18 October 2026. Other US consumer travel cards, including airline-branded and hotel-branded cards, are not covered here.

1. American Express Platinum Card benefits and terms, checked 18 October 2026
2. Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card page, checked 18 October 2026
3. Capital One Venture X Rewards card page, checked 18 October 2026
4. Citi Strata Premier credit card page, checked 18 October 2026