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Cohost Travel · Points

Pay for travel with credit-card points.

A short, curated list of travel-rewards credit cards. We picked the ones whose math actually works for typical STR-style travel — flights, hotels, dining, and rent — not the cards with the loudest headline bonuses.

Disclosure. Cohost may receive a referral fee from some issuers if you apply for a card after clicking through this page. We never charge you. We do not weight or hide cards based on referral economics; the list is editorial. This is informational only, not financial advice. Sign-up bonuses, fees, and benefits change frequently — verify the current offer with the issuer before applying. Per FTC 16 CFR § 255.

Information last verified 2026-05-05. Approval requires good-to-excellent credit; check your odds before applying.

Chase Sapphire Preferred

Chase

Our take: The default first travel card. Modest annual fee, transfer partners that move the needle, no foreign transaction fees.

Apply
Annual fee
$95
Sign-up bonus

60,000 points after spend threshold (verify current offer)

Earning

3x dining + select streaming · 2x travel · 1x everything else. Points transfer 1:1 to Hyatt, United, Southwest.

Best for
First travel card Chase Ultimate Rewards stack Hyatt fans
Verified 2026-05-05. Issuer page: https://www.chase.com/personal/credit-cards/sapphire-preferred

Chase Sapphire Reserve

Chase premium

Our take: Math works once you actually use the lounge access and travel credit. If you don't, the Preferred is the better card.

Apply
Annual fee
$550
Sign-up bonus

Verify current offer at issuer

Earning

3x dining + travel · $300 annual travel credit · Priority Pass + select Sapphire Lounges · 50% point bonus on Chase travel.

Best for
Frequent flyers Lounge access Hertz President's Circle
Verified 2026-05-05. Issuer page: https://www.chase.com/personal/credit-cards/sapphire-reserve

American Express Gold Card

American Express

Our take: Best earning card for households that spend heavily on groceries and restaurants. The credits cover the AF if you actually use them.

Apply
Annual fee
$325
Sign-up bonus

60,000 Membership Rewards after spend threshold (verify current offer)

Earning

4x dining + US supermarkets (capped) · 3x flights booked direct · monthly Uber + dining credits offsetting most of the AF.

Best for
Foodies Households Membership Rewards stack
Verified 2026-05-05. Issuer page: https://www.americanexpress.com/us/credit-cards/card/gold-card/

American Express Platinum

American Express premium

Our take: Justifies itself only if you're already maxing the credits. Worth running the math against the Reserve before applying.

Apply
Annual fee
$695
Sign-up bonus

80,000 Membership Rewards after spend threshold (verify current offer)

Earning

5x flights booked direct + Amex Travel · Centurion Lounge access · $200 airline + $200 hotel credits + Clear + Global Entry credit.

Best for
Luxury lounge access Hotel status Frequent international travel
Verified 2026-05-05. Issuer page: https://www.americanexpress.com/us/credit-cards/card/platinum/

Capital One Venture X

Capital One

Our take: Best premium card for people who don't want to chase categories. The simple 2x flat earning and refundable annual credits make it almost net-zero.

Apply
Annual fee
$395
Sign-up bonus

75,000 miles after spend threshold (verify current offer)

Earning

2x everywhere · 10x hotels + cars on Capital One Travel · $300 Capital One Travel credit + 10K anniversary miles · Priority Pass + Capital One Lounges.

Best for
Simplicity Capital One Travel power users Authorized-user benefits
Verified 2026-05-05. Issuer page: https://www.capitalone.com/credit-cards/venture-x/

Citi Strata Premier

Citi

Our take: The strongest mid-tier earner across everyday categories. Underrated next to the Sapphire Preferred for households with diverse spend.

Apply
Annual fee
$95
Sign-up bonus

60,000 ThankYou points after spend threshold (verify current offer)

Earning

3x air + hotels + restaurants + supermarkets + gas · annual hotel credit · ThankYou points transfer to airlines including American and Avianca.

Best for
Diverse spend categories Hotel-heavy travelers American Airlines
Verified 2026-05-05. Issuer page: https://www.citi.com/credit-cards/citi-strata-premier-credit-card

Bilt Mastercard

Wells Fargo

Our take: The only card that earns transferable points on rent payments without a fee. If you rent, this is the easiest 50K+ free points/year.

Apply
Annual fee
$0
Sign-up bonus

No sign-up bonus; earns on rent without fees

Earning

1x on rent (up to 100K points/yr, no transaction fee) · 3x dining · 2x travel · 1x everything else · transfers to Hyatt, United, Alaska, American.

Best for
Renters Hyatt fans No-AF earning
Verified 2026-05-05. Issuer page: https://www.biltrewards.com/card

Capital One Savor

Capital One

Our take: The cash-back baseline for households that don't want to think about points. Pairs well with the Venture X for transferable miles.

Apply
Annual fee
$0
Sign-up bonus

$300 cash bonus after spend threshold (verify current offer)

Earning

3% cash back on dining + entertainment + groceries + streaming · 1% everything else · no annual fee.

Best for
Cash-back simplicity Pairs with Venture X No annual fee
Verified 2026-05-05. Issuer page: https://www.capitalone.com/credit-cards/savor-cash-rewards/
How to play it
How to use these cards on a Cohost trip.
  • · Earn 2-5x points on the flights you book through your card's portal or directly with the airline.
  • · Redeem transferable points (Chase UR, Amex MR, Capital One) for hotel stays — sometimes worth 2x cash value, sometimes much less. Always run the math.
  • · If you rent your home, Bilt earns transferable points on rent payments without a fee — the easiest 50K+ free points/year.
  • · Premium cards (Reserve, Platinum, Venture X) only justify themselves if you actually use the lounge access and travel credits. Don't pay an AF for benefits you won't redeem.
Disclaimer
Cohost is not a bank, credit broker, or financial advisor. Card details are summarized from the issuers' public pages and are accurate to the best of our knowledge as of 2026-05-05. Approval, terms, fees, and benefits are determined by the issuer at the time of application and may change without notice. We are not responsible for credit decisions or account terms. Talk to a qualified advisor before making a financial decision based on information here.