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Family travel is definitely more challenging than traveling without children. Instead of booking one or two seats, you now have to book three, four, or five. You also have to rent a larger car and maybe even sleep in a hotel suite instead of a standard room. The best credit cards for family travel make it easy for you to earn bonus rewards so you can save money with points and travel more often. If you’re looking to save money for a road trip or just want to start earning rewards now for travel later, one of the options below can help.
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
The Best Credit Cards for Family Travel
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Best travel protection benefits
- Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: Best for flat-rate rewards
- American Express® Gold Card: Best for restaurants and U.S. supermarkets
- Citi Premier® Card: Best for travel and gas stations
- Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card: Airline perks
- IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card: Reward night
The best family travel credit cards all make it easy to earn bonus points on your daily spending. You can then redeem these points as a travel statement credit or book upcoming travel. Some cards even offer travel perks and credits that minimize your flight and hotel costs.
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card – Overall Best Credit Card for Families
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card offers robust award travel options and trip protection benefits.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred earns unlimited:
- 5x points on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards® (excluding hotel purchases that qualify for the $50 Anniversary Hotel Credit)
- 3x points on dining (including eligible delivery services, takeout, and dining out)
- 3x points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target®, Walmart®, and wholesale clubs)
- Also 3x points on select streaming services
- 2x points on all other travel purchases
- 1x point per $1 spent on all non-bonus purchases
There is a $50 annual Ultimate Rewards Hotel Credit. It comes in the form of a statement credit that will automatically be applied to your account when your card is used for hotel accommodation purchases made through the Ultimate Rewards program, up to an annual maximum accumulation of $50.
Plus, on each account anniversary, you’ll earn bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases made the previous year. So, if you spend $25,000 on purchases, you’ll get 2,500 bonus points.
Your points are worth 25% more (1.25 cents each) when booking award travel through Chase. Each point can be potentially worth more by transferring them at a 1:1 ratio to airlines and hotels like United, Southwest, British Airways, and World of Hyatt.
The Sapphire Preferred travel protection benefits can save you thousands if your family travel plans go bust. It’s possible to get up to $20,000 per family in non-refundable travel purchases if your trip gets delayed or canceled for a covered reason like extreme weather or sickness. Other benefits include primary rental car collision damage waiver protection, trip delay reimbursement, and baggage delay insurance.
New Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card cardholders can earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s worth $750 when redeemed through Chase Travel℠.
The annual fee is $95.
Related: Chase Sapphire Preferred Perks
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is probably the best flat-rate travel rewards credit card. You earn 2x miles for every $1 spent. If you’re tired of only earning 1 mile for most purchases, the Venture Rewards Card is the easiest way to earn more.
However, if you want to earn a few more miles on travel, good news—earn 5x miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
You can redeem your Capital One Venture miles for travel statement credits and booking upcoming travel. Each mile is worth 1 cent each (10,000 points=$100) and can be redeemed in any amount. The primary cardholder also gets a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit that saves you up to $100 every 4 years.
For a limited time, new Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card cardholders can earn 75,000 miles once they spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening, plus they’ll receive a one-time $250 Capital One Travel credit their first cardholder year. Earning the entire bonus is equal to $1,000 in travel!
American Express Gold Card
The American Express® Gold Card earns:
- 4x Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide (on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1x points for the rest of the year)
- 4x Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1x points for the rest of the year)
- 3x Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com
- 2x Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com
- 1x Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases
Your points are worth the most when booking award flights. Each point is worth 1 cent each on AmexTravel.com. You can also transfer them to 1:1 Membership Rewards partners including Delta, Hawaiian Airlines, and British Airways.
Another perk is the ability to earn up to $10 in statement credits on a monthly basis when you use your Gold Card to pay at the following dining establishments (enrollment is required):
- Grubhub
- The Cheesecake Factory
- Goldbelly
- Wine.com
- Five Guys
This perk can save you up to $120 annually.
The annual fee is $325, and there are no foreign transaction fees (See Rates & Fees). If that seems steep, consider the fee can be offset by the purchase credits and flexible rewards program.
New American Express® Gold Card cardholders can earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after spending $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Plus, receive 20% back in statement credits on eligible purchases made at restaurants worldwide within the first 6 months of Card Membership, up to $100 back. Limited time offer. Offer ends 11/6/24.
Plus, get the American Express® Gold Card in either the Gold, Rose Gold, or Limited-Edition White Gold metal design. White Gold design is only available while supplies last.
Citi Premier Card
The information for the Citi Premier® Card has been collected independently by Johnny Jet. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
The Citi Premier® Card offers a variety of bonus categories that make it easy to maximize your daily spending. You get 3x ThankYou points on air travel, hotels, gas stations, restaurants, and supermarkets. All remaining purchases earn 1 point per $1. Cardholders can also take advantage of the $100 annual hotel credit that they’ll earn after spending $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) on a single hotel stay purchased through thankyou.com.
There are several 1:1 airline transfer partners including JetBlue, Asia Miles, and Qantas. The transfer partners can be a better option for booking international award flights.
New Citi Premier® Card cardmembers can earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after spending $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening. This bonus is redeemable for $600 in gift cards or travel rewards when redeemed at thankyou.com.
Plus, for a limited time, earn a total of 10 ThankYou® Points per $1 spent on hotel, car rentals, and attractions (excluding air travel) booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through June 30, 2024.
If this sounds like a good choice for you, check out the CardMatch™ tool, which is a free resource for finding personalized offers that best serve you. It can help you determine if the Citi Premier is a card you can get. Additionally, you may be offered a higher targeted signup bonus that isn’t available to the general public.
The annual fee is $95.
Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card
Flying may not always be in your family’s travel budget. However, an airline credit card can make flying possible so you can visit relatives or new places more often.
If you want to avoid checked baggage fees, check out the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, one of the best Delta credit cards. You and up to 8 companions get one free checked bag on Delta flights. You also get priority boarding on Delta flights.
The Delta SkyMiles Gold Credit Card earns 2x Miles on Delta purchases at restaurants worldwide (including takeout and delivery in the U.S.) and at U.S. supermarkets (1x Mile for everything else that is eligible). It also has 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.
Additionally, you can 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.
Plus, Gold card members will receive a $200 Delta Flight Credit to use for future travel after spending $10,000 in purchases on their card in a calendar year. Additionally, enjoy up to $100 back annually on eligible prepaid Delta Stays bookings on delta.com.
Cardholders can also get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
Welcome Bonus
New Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card cardholders can earn 40,000 Bonus Miles after spending $2,000 in purchases on their new Card in their first 6 months of Card Membership.
The introductory annual fee of $0 for the first year, then $150 (See Rates & Fees).
Tip: If you don’t live near a Delta hub, consider another of the best airline miles credit cards.
IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card
The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card gives you one reward anniversary night, valid at any IHG property that costs 40,000 points or less. This perk lets you stay at most Holiday Inn Express, Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza, and Staybridge Suites properties (note that the IHG Premier isn’t the only credit card that offers a hotel reward night).
Another benefit exclusive to IHG Premier cardholders is getting the 4th reward night on a 3+ night stay paid for with points (here are a few ideas on how to redeem those IHG Premier points). You also get automatic IHG Platinum Elite status which gives you space-available room upgrades, late check-out, an amenity at check-in, and more.
New IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card cardholders can earn 5 Free Nights after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Member FDIC
The annual fee is $99.
Cardholders can earn up to 26 total points per $1 spent when they stay at an IHG hotel. Also, earn 5x points per $1 spent on purchases on travel, gas stations, and restaurants. Earn 3x points per $1 spent on all other purchases.
There isn’t a foreign transaction fee.
Related: Best Hotel Credit Cards
Summary Of The Best Credit Cards For Families
Your family travel plans may already be exciting. These best credit cards for families can help make your journey more affordable. From redemption bonuses, travel credits, and easy ways to earn bonus points, award travel can be easy.
The Best Credit Cards for New Parents To Earn Rewards
Parenting is one of the most rewarding yet interesting journeys you will experience in life. New parents and expecting parents may not know what to expect from their new lifestyle. While life changes when you have a child in tow, you have another person to make memories with.
Best Credit Cards for New Parents
These credit cards can help you maximize those purchases you (perhaps) never thought about even a few months ago. You may need to re-think your daily routine and the way you travel. Yet earning cash or travel rewards can be easier than you imagine.
Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express
The Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express earns:
- 3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%)
- 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations (up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%)
- Plus, 3% cash back on U.S. online retail purchases (up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%)
- 1% cash back on general purchases
Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed for statement credits or at Amazon.com at checkout.
This is one of the best credit cards for groceries and fueling your car.
The Blue Cash Everyday doesn’t have an annual fee but has a foreign transaction fee (See Rates & Fees).
The Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express welcome bonus is the ability to earn a $200 statement credit after spending $2,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is one of the best travel credit cards for new parents. You earn 2 Venture miles for every $1 you spend. You can redeem your Capital One miles for travel statement credits, book upcoming travel, or transfer to airline and hotel partners. The travel statement credits let you redeem your miles for most travel purchases. This can include Airbnb stays, rental cars, airline tickets, etc.
One additional benefit is a fee credit of up to $100 for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck for the primary cardmember. The annual fee is $95.
However, if you want to earn a few more miles on travel, the good news—earn 5x miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
For a limited time, new Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card cardholders can earn 75,000 miles once they spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening, plus they’ll receive a one-time $250 Capital One Travel credit their first cardholder year. Earning the entire bonus is equal to $1,000 in travel!
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
You might think that award travel is off the table as a new parent. In reality, your travel miles can be worth more now as you have another travel companion. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card has some of the most valuable travel rewards points. Its $95 annual fee is also reasonable for families who take several mini-trips or one grand vacation each year.
Also, enjoy Chase Sapphire benefits such as a $50 annual Ultimate Rewards Hotel Credit, 5x points on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3x points on dining, and 2x points on all other travel purchases, plus more.
Your points are worth 1.25 cents each when booking award travel on the Chase travel portal.
You might get more value by transferring your points at a 1:1 ratio to airline and hotel partners including United, Southwest, British Airways, World of Hyatt, and Marriott. Cash rewards and gift cards are other redemption options.
New Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card cardholders can earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s worth $750 when redeemed through Chase Travel℠.
Prime Visa
The Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card boosts our Prime member benefits.
Prime members get 5% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market, and Chase Travel purchases with an eligible Prime membership. Gas stations, restaurants, and local transit and commuting (including rideshare) get 2% back. Everything else earns 1% back.
Also, earn 10% back or more on a rotating selection of items and categories on Amazon.com with an eligible Prime membership.
Get a $200 Amazon Gift Card instantly upon approval, exclusively for Prime members.
Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card
The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, one of the best Delta credit cards, can make it easier to fly with small children for these reasons.
You get Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding on Delta flights.
The Delta SkyMiles Gold Credit Card earns 2x Miles on Delta purchases at restaurants worldwide (including takeout and delivery in the U.S.) and at U.S. supermarkets (1x Mile for everything else that is eligible). It also has 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.
Additionally, you can 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.
Plus, Gold card members will receive a $200 Delta Flight Credit to use for future travel after spending $10,000 in purchases on their card in a calendar year. Additionally, enjoy up to $100 back annually on eligible prepaid Delta Stays bookings on delta.com.
Cardholders can also get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
Welcome Bonus
New Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card cardholders can earn 40,000 Bonus Miles after spending $2,000 in purchases on their new Card in their first 6 months of Card Membership.
The introductory annual fee of $0 for the first year, then $150 (See Rates & Fees).
IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card
The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card is one of the best hotel credit cards for new parents. These card benefits make hotel travel easier with a small family. This reward night is valid for a standard room at many IHG properties, including Holiday Inn Express, Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza, and even extended-stay brands like Staybridge Suites.
For frequent IHG travelers, the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card is a nice option. Cardholders can earn up to 26 total points per $1 spent when they stay at an IHG hotel. Also, earn 5x points per $1 spent on purchases on travel, gas stations, and restaurants. Earn 3x points per $1 spent on all other purchases.
As an IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card cardholder, you’ll also get to enjoy a Reward Night after each account anniversary year at eligible IHG hotels worldwide. Additionally, you can enjoy a reward night when you redeem points for any stay of 3 or more nights.
As long as you remain a Premier card member, you can enjoy Platinum Elite status. Platinum Elite Status allows for room upgrades (when available), late check-out, welcome amenities at check-in, and more. Additionally, enjoy a Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS Statement Credit of up to $100 every 4 years as reimbursement for the application fee charged to your card.
New IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card cardholders can earn 5 Free Nights after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Member FDIC
The annual fee is $99. This fee can easily be offset by the reward anniversary night after the first year.
Related: Best Hotel Credit Cards
Capital One Walmart Rewards Card
The information for the Capital One Walmart Rewards® Mastercard® has been collected independently by Johnny Jet. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Many new parents buy their essentials at a store like Walmart, so you only need to get the baby out of the car seat once. After all, you can buy your groceries, baby items, clothing, and electronics in one place. Most stores also have an on-site gas station with competitive prices. Plus, you can get 2-day shipping on online Walmart purchases. Because there are a variety of options, the Capital One Walmart credit cards might be helpful.
The Capital One Walmart Rewards® Mastercard® offers these cash rewards:
- 5% back on Walmart.com purchases
- 2% back on in-store Walmart and Murphy USA gas purchases
- 2% back on restaurant and travel purchases
- 1% back on all remaining purchases
Getting 2% back on restaurant and travel purchases can be more convenient than earning travel rewards on your larger, periodic purchases.
Target RedCard
The information for the Target RedCard has been collected independently by Johnny Jet. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
If Target is your go-to store, the Target RedCard™ is worth considering.
You can get 5% back on these purchases:
- In-store Target purchases
- Target.com purchases
- In-Target Starbucks locations
- Specialty gift cards
Your Target.com purchases qualify for free 2-day shipping and you get an extra 30 days for returns and exchanges. This card doesn’t have an annual fee.
Summary of the Best Credit Cards for New Parents
Being a new parent is one of the most exciting times of your life. Though the way you live life changes from when you were only a couple, these credit cards help maximize your wallet. They are also some of the best credit cards for family travel.
FAQs
What is the best everyday credit card?
The best card for your daily spending depends on your purchase habits and whether you want cash or travel rewards.
A flat-rate rewards card is best if you want to earn the same amount of points on each dollar you spend. The best flat-rate cards award 2% (2 points per $1) on each purchase. Two of the best cards are:
- Citi Double Cash (cash rewards)
- Capital One Venture Rewards Card (travel rewards)
If most of the monthly budget tilts toward one expense type like groceries or gas stations, you can get a tiered rewards card instead. One example is the Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express. It earns 3% back on the first $6,000 spent per year (then 1%) at U.S. supermarkets and 3% back at U.S. gas stations on the first $6,000 per year, then 1%.
Can a stay-at-home mom get a credit card?
It’s possible for stay-at-home parents to qualify for a credit card. The credit card application asks for your anticipated annual income. American Express plainly instructs you to, “Include all income available to you,” for instance.
In addition to your annual household income, the issuing bank will also review your credit report and recent credit card application history. These non-income factors also affect your approval odds.
Can a baby have a credit card?
The minimum application age for a credit card is 18 years old. As a result, your children under the age of 18 cannot apply for their own credit card account. However, they might be able to be an authorized user.
The minimum age for an authorized user varies by bank. Some banks require your child to be at least 13 years old. Other banks don’t have a published minimum age. So, it’s possible for a baby to have a credit card but only as an authorized user.
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- The Best Metal Credit Cards
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For rates and fees of The American Express® Gold Card, please click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, please click here.
And For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express, please click here.
Johnny Jet has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Johnny Jet and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. Responses are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
