All credit cards on this list are researched and handpicked by the CNET editorial staff. We regularly consult with personal finance experts to ensure our advice is accurate and informed, but those experts are not involved in our selection process.
Travel credit cards can bolster your experiences away from home in a number of ways, from getting you through TSA faster to earning rewards on your travel spending. Across all of the travel card types — airline miles credit cards, hotel credit cards, or general travel credit cards — most will offer a selection of travel insurance protections.
For example, there are a number of credit cards that provide cardholders with an auto rental collision damage waiver, or rental car insurance. Rental car insurance can be either secondary coverage or the more coveted primary coverage.
Primary coverage means the credit card’s insurance will pay out before any other car insurance you may have, whereas secondary coverage will take effect only after your personal insurance pays. Primary coverage is also likely to have better terms and cover the full cost of the damage. Secondary coverage could cover less, but still offers some protection.
CNET’S PICK
Intro Offer
60,000 bonus points
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $750 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
Rewards Rate
2x
– 5x
5x on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®; 3x on dining.; 2x on all other travel purchases, plus more.
Rec. Credit
Recommended Credit: A credit score is used to indicate an applicant’s credit worthiness and may provide guidance about account eligibility. It does not necessarily guarantee approval for any financial product.
670 – 850
Good – Excellent
APR
21.49% – 28.49% Variable
The Chase Sapphire Preferred is one of the best credit cards for general travelers. It has a lot of earning potential and offers a number of travel protections, including primary auto rental collision damage waiver. It has an annual fee of $95.
Additionally, it earns 5x points per dollar for travel purchases made through Chase Ultimate Rewards. Cardholders are able to use Chase Ultimate Rewards to book rental cars, as well as hotels and airfare. You could use the Sapphire Preferred to book your rental, and then redeem the points you earn for a 25% bonus if you book travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards. Or you can transfer them to a hotel or airline partner where you could find an even better value for them.
You can learn more in our Chase Sapphire Preferred review.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- N/A
- Intro Purchase APR
- N/A
- Regular APR
- 21.49% – 28.49% Variable
- Balance Transfer Fee
- Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
5x
5x on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
2x
2x on all other travel purchases, plus more.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred is one of the best credit cards for general travelers. It has a lot of earning potential and offers a number of travel protections, including primary auto rental collision damage waiver. It has an annual fee of $95.
Additionally, it earns 5x points per dollar for travel purchases made through Chase Ultimate Rewards. Cardholders are able to use Chase Ultimate Rewards to book rental cars, as well as hotels and airfare. You could use the Sapphire Preferred to book your rental, and then redeem the points you earn for a 25% bonus if you book travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards. Or you can transfer them to a hotel or airline partner where you could find an even better value for them.
You can learn more in our Chase Sapphire Preferred review.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- N/A
- Intro Purchase APR
- N/A
- Regular APR
- 21.49% – 28.49% Variable
- Balance Transfer Fee
- Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
5x
5x on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
2x
2x on all other travel purchases, plus more.
Intro Offer
Earn 80,000 points
Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
Rewards Rate
5x
– 5x
Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year.; Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
Rec. Credit
Recommended Credit: A credit score is used to indicate an applicant’s credit worthiness and may provide guidance about account eligibility. It does not necessarily guarantee approval for any financial product.
670 – 850
Good – Excellent
APR
See Pay Over Time APR
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.
In exchange for a high annual fee of $695, cardholders gain access to an impressive collection of perks and credits. Because of the expense, it should only be considered by travelers who can take full advantage of everything the card has to offer.
One of its many benefits is car rental loss and damage insurance*. However, coverage is secondary, which means it’ll only take effect once your personal car insurance has paid out. While that does detract from the perk’s value, there are a number of other benefits to having this card, including premium car rental status.
Premium car rental status grants extra perks with a number of rental car agencies, including Avis Preferred®, Hertz Gold Plus Rewards® and National Car Rental® Emerald Club Executive. Rental agency membership perks include skipping lines, upgrades when available and getting your pick of the rental agencies’ best vehicles.
Take note: Cardholders will need to enroll in any or all of these memberships via their benefit dashboard.
Check out our The Platinum Card from American Express review to learn more.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- N/A
- Intro Purchase APR
- N/A
- Regular APR
- See Pay Over Time APR
- Balance Transfer Fee
- N/A
5x
Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year.
5x
Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
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
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.
In exchange for a high annual fee of $695, cardholders gain access to an impressive collection of perks and credits. Because of the expense, it should only be considered by travelers who can take full advantage of everything the card has to offer.
One of its many benefits is car rental loss and damage insurance*. However, coverage is secondary, which means it’ll only take effect once your personal car insurance has paid out. While that does detract from the perk’s value, there are a number of other benefits to having this card, including premium car rental status.
Premium car rental status grants extra perks with a number of rental car agencies, including Avis Preferred®, Hertz Gold Plus Rewards® and National Car Rental® Emerald Club Executive. Rental agency membership perks include skipping lines, upgrades when available and getting your pick of the rental agencies’ best vehicles.
Take note: Cardholders will need to enroll in any or all of these memberships via their benefit dashboard.
Check out our The Platinum Card from American Express review to learn more.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- N/A
- Intro Purchase APR
- N/A
- Regular APR
- See Pay Over Time APR
- Balance Transfer Fee
- N/A
5x
Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year.
5x
Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
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
Intro Offer
75,000 miles
Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
Rewards Rate
2x
– 10x
Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel.; 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel.
; 2 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day
Rec. Credit
Recommended Credit: A credit score is used to indicate an applicant’s credit worthiness and may provide guidance about account eligibility. It does not necessarily guarantee approval for any financial product.
800 – 850
Excellent
APR
19.99% – 29.99% (Variable)
The Capital One Venture X*** is Capital One’s premier travel card. It offers a selection of strong perks for its $395 annual fee, including an annual travel credit and primary auto rental insurance**.
Along with providing primary coverage, the card also earns 10x miles per dollar for rental cars booked directly through Capital One Travel. It also features Hertz President’s Circle® membership status, which provides travelers with guaranteed upgrades, their pick of rental and a dedicated customer service line.
Check out our Capital One Venture X review for more information.
**Terms, conditions, and exclusions apply. Refer to your Guide to Benefits for more details.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- N/A
- Intro Purchase APR
- N/A
- Regular APR
- 19.99% – 29.99% (Variable)
- Balance Transfer Fee
- $0 at the Transfer APR, 4% of the amount of each transferred balance that posts to your account at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer to you
10x
Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel.
5x
5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel.
2x
2 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day
The Capital One Venture X*** is Capital One’s premier travel card. It offers a selection of strong perks for its $395 annual fee, including an annual travel credit and primary auto rental insurance**.
Along with providing primary coverage, the card also earns 10x miles per dollar for rental cars booked directly through Capital One Travel. It also features Hertz President’s Circle® membership status, which provides travelers with guaranteed upgrades, their pick of rental and a dedicated customer service line.
Check out our Capital One Venture X review for more information.
**Terms, conditions, and exclusions apply. Refer to your Guide to Benefits for more details.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- N/A
- Intro Purchase APR
- N/A
- Regular APR
- 19.99% – 29.99% (Variable)
- Balance Transfer Fee
- $0 at the Transfer APR, 4% of the amount of each transferred balance that posts to your account at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer to you
10x
Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel.
5x
5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel.
2x
2 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day
Intro Offer
20,000 miles
Earn a bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $200 in travel
Rewards Rate
1.25x
– 5x
Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you’ll get Capital One’s best prices on thousands of trip options; Earn unlimited 1.25X miles on every purchase, every day.
Rec. Credit
Recommended Credit: A credit score is used to indicate an applicant’s credit worthiness and may provide guidance about account eligibility. It does not necessarily guarantee approval for any financial product.
670 – 850
Good – Excellent
APR
19.99% – 29.99% (Variable)
The Capital One VentureOne Rewards*** offers miles for all of your purchases and a surprising number of travel protections for a card with no annual fee. Included in that offering is auto rental insurance**.
While coverage is secondary, it still presents an affordable option to get some additional coverage when using a rental vehicle. You can also earn a high 5x miles per dollar for rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, and cover the expense using the miles you earn with the card.
It’s a good option if you travel every so often and are looking to earn a decent return on your travel spending. You can learn more about the card in our Capital One VentureOne Rewards card review.
**Terms, conditions, and exclusions apply. Refer to your Guide to Benefits for more details.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- 0% intro on balance transfers for 15 months
- Intro Purchase APR
- 0% intro on purchases for 15 months
- Regular APR
- 19.99% – 29.99% (Variable)
- Balance Transfer Fee
- 3% for the first 15 months; 4% at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer you at any other time
5x
Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you’ll get Capital One’s best prices on thousands of trip options
1.25x
Earn unlimited 1.25X miles on every purchase, every day.
The Capital One VentureOne Rewards*** offers miles for all of your purchases and a surprising number of travel protections for a card with no annual fee. Included in that offering is auto rental insurance**.
While coverage is secondary, it still presents an affordable option to get some additional coverage when using a rental vehicle. You can also earn a high 5x miles per dollar for rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, and cover the expense using the miles you earn with the card.
It’s a good option if you travel every so often and are looking to earn a decent return on your travel spending. You can learn more about the card in our Capital One VentureOne Rewards card review.
**Terms, conditions, and exclusions apply. Refer to your Guide to Benefits for more details.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- 0% intro on balance transfers for 15 months
- Intro Purchase APR
- 0% intro on purchases for 15 months
- Regular APR
- 19.99% – 29.99% (Variable)
- Balance Transfer Fee
- 3% for the first 15 months; 4% at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer you at any other time
5x
Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you’ll get Capital One’s best prices on thousands of trip options
1.25x
Earn unlimited 1.25X miles on every purchase, every day.
Intro Offer
$900
Earn $900 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
Rewards Rate
1%
– 5%
Earn 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year; Earn 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year; Earn 1% cash back on all other card purchases with no limit to the amount you can earn
Rec. Credit
Recommended Credit: A credit score is used to indicate an applicant’s credit worthiness and may provide guidance about account eligibility. It does not necessarily guarantee approval for any financial product.
670 – 850
Good – Excellent
APR
18.49% – 24.49% Variable
The no-annual-fee Chase Ink Business Cash is one of the best business credit cards. In addition to its lucrative rewards program, it features a number of travel protections, including auto rental collision damage waiver.
Coverage is primary when renting for business purposes, which makes it an inexpensive option if you’re looking for rental coverage. The card is also a good choice if you travel for business a few times a year and are looking to earn a solid return on your expenses. Its rewards and welcome bonus are its best features, but it adds a dash of travel thanks to its rental car insurance, roadside assistance and travel and emergency assistance services perks.
For more details, see our full Chase Ink Business Cash review.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- N/A
- Intro Purchase APR
- 0% Intro APR on Purchases for 12 months
- Regular APR
- 18.49% – 24.49% Variable
- Balance Transfer Fee
- Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
5%
Earn 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year
2%
Earn 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year
1%
Earn 1% cash back on all other card purchases with no limit to the amount you can earn
The no-annual-fee Chase Ink Business Cash is one of the best business credit cards. In addition to its lucrative rewards program, it features a number of travel protections, including auto rental collision damage waiver.
Coverage is primary when renting for business purposes, which makes it an inexpensive option if you’re looking for rental coverage. The card is also a good choice if you travel for business a few times a year and are looking to earn a solid return on your expenses. Its rewards and welcome bonus are its best features, but it adds a dash of travel thanks to its rental car insurance, roadside assistance and travel and emergency assistance services perks.
For more details, see our full Chase Ink Business Cash review.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- N/A
- Intro Purchase APR
- 0% Intro APR on Purchases for 12 months
- Regular APR
- 18.49% – 24.49% Variable
- Balance Transfer Fee
- Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
5%
Earn 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year
2%
Earn 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year
1%
Earn 1% cash back on all other card purchases with no limit to the amount you can earn
FAQs
The best overall credit card for car rentals is the Chase Sapphire Preferred. It has an affordable annual fee of $95 and has a high potential to be a very rewarding choice. It features primary rental car insurance meaning it’ll pay out before your personal insurance and negating the need to file a claim with your primary car insurance provider. You can use it for car rentals through Chase’s travel portal, Chase Ultimate Rewards, to earn 5x points per dollar.
In order to qualify for a credit card’s rental car insurance benefit, you’ll have to decline any insurance offer provided by the rental car agency and then charge the full amount to your card. You’ll then be eligible for coverage against damage or theft, subject to your cardmember agreement.
You will, of course, have to abide by the rental issuer’s rules as well. Including no driving on unpaved roads, and not using the car for commercial use, among other things. Other exclusions can be the type of vehicle or the country you rent in.
Most rental car agencies in the US require you to be at least 25, but there are some exceptions. So long as you’re 21 you can likely rent a car, though there may be an underage driver fee.
For rates and fees of The Platinum Card from American Express, click here
*Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
***All information about the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card and Capital One Venture X Credit Card has been collected independently by CNET and has not been reviewed by the issuer.
The editorial content on this page is based solely on objective, independent assessments by our writers and is not influenced by advertising or partnerships. It has not been provided or commissioned by any third party. However, we may receive compensation when you click on links to products or services offered by our partners.
