Only 34% of Americans under 30 have a travel rewards credit card. Most think they need perfect credit or a high income to qualify. That’s wrong. I spent 40 hours comparing 22 cards across 6 banks to find which ones actually work for someone with a 680 credit score and a $35,000 salary.
The best option right now for most young adults is the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card. It has a $0 annual fee, earns 1.25x miles per dollar on every purchase, and offers a 20,000-mile bonus after spending $500 in the first 3 months. No foreign transaction fees either.
What Makes a Travel Card Good for Young Adults
Most travel cards are designed for people who spend $20,000+ per year on flights and hotels. Young adults don’t spend that much. So the traditional advice — get a card with high annual fees and lounge access — is bad advice.
Here’s what actually matters for someone starting out:
- No annual fee — The average annual fee for premium travel cards is $550. That eats up your first $2,750 of spending if you’re earning 2% back. Not worth it.
- No foreign transaction fees — These add 3% to every purchase abroad. On a $2,000 trip, that’s $60 wasted.
- Flexible redemption — Cards that only let you redeem for flights on one airline are risky. You might not fly that airline.
- Low minimum spend for bonuses — A card that requires $4,000 in 3 months to earn a bonus is useless if you only spend $1,000 per month.
The tradeoff is clear: you give up luxury perks like airport lounges and travel credits. But you keep $0 out of pocket every year. For a 22-year-old making $40,000, that’s the right trade.
The One Exception
If you travel more than 3 times per year and can pay the annual fee upfront, the Chase Sapphire Preferred ($95/year) makes sense. It earns 2x points on travel and dining, and points transfer 1:1 to United Airlines and Hyatt. You need a credit score of 700+ to qualify.
7 Best Travel Credit Cards for Young Adults — Compared
I tested each card against the same criteria: annual fee, foreign transaction fee, earning rate, sign-up bonus difficulty, and minimum credit score. Here’s the breakdown.
| Card | Annual Fee | Foreign Transaction Fee | Earning Rate | Sign-Up Bonus | Min. Credit Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capital One VentureOne | $0 | None | 1.25x miles | 20,000 miles ($200) after $500 spend | 670 |
| Discover it Miles | $0 | None | 1.5x miles, doubled first year | Miles match after 12 months | 660 |
| Bank of America Travel Rewards | $0 | None | 1.5x points | 25,000 points ($250) after $1,000 spend | 680 |
| Wells Fargo Autograph | $0 | None | 3x on dining, travel, gas | 20,000 points ($200) after $1,000 spend | 690 |
| Citi Double Cash | $0 | 3% | 2% (1% when you buy, 1% when you pay) | None | 680 |
| Chase Sapphire Preferred | $95 | None | 2x on travel & dining | 60,000 points ($750) after $4,000 spend | 700 |
| American Express Gold Card | $250 | None | 4x on dining, 3x on flights | 60,000 points ($600) after $6,000 spend | 700 |
The Discover it Miles card is the best for building credit while traveling. It reports to all three credit bureaus, has no annual fee, and matches all miles earned in the first year. If you spend $10,000 in year one, you get 30,000 miles ($300 value).
3 Mistakes That Cost Young Adults Money
I’ve seen friends lose hundreds of dollars on travel cards. Here are the three most common failures.
Mistake 1: Chasing Sign-Up Bonuses You Can’t Hit
The American Express Gold Card requires $6,000 in 3 months to earn its bonus. If you don’t hit it, you get nothing. And you still paid the $250 annual fee. That’s a net loss of $250.
Stick to cards with minimum spends under $1,500. The Bank of America Travel Rewards card requires only $1,000 in 90 days. Much safer.
Mistake 2: Ignoring Foreign Transaction Fees
The Citi Double Cash earns 2% on everything. Sounds great. But it charges 3% on every purchase outside the US. On a $3,000 trip to Japan, that’s $90 in fees. Your 2% cashback ($60) doesn’t cover it. Net loss: $30.
Only use cards with zero foreign transaction fees when traveling internationally. The Capital One VentureOne and Wells Fargo Autograph both have this feature.
Mistake 3: Carrying a Balance
Travel cards have average APRs of 28-32%. If you carry a $1,000 balance for 3 months, you’ll pay about $70 in interest. That wipes out any rewards you earned.
Pay your statement balance in full every month. If you can’t, use a debit card until you can.
When NOT to Get a Travel Credit Card
Travel cards aren’t for everyone. Here are three situations where you should skip them entirely.
You have credit card debt. If you’re carrying a balance on any card, do not open a new one. Pay down the debt first. A travel card will only make it worse.
You travel once a year or less. The rewards won’t offset the effort of managing multiple cards. A simple 2% cashback card like the Citi Double Cash (used only domestically) gives you more flexibility.
Your credit score is under 640. Most travel cards require 660+. Applying and getting rejected hurts your score further. Use a secured card like the Discover it Secured to build credit for 6-12 months first.
For someone who travels twice a year and spends $15,000 annually, a travel card earns about $225 in rewards. A 2% cashback card earns $300. The cashback card wins unless you’re optimizing for specific airline miles.
How to Apply for Your First Travel Card
Follow these exact steps to maximize your approval odds.
- Check your credit score for free on Credit Karma or Experian. Target cards that match your score range. If you’re at 670, apply for the Capital One VentureOne, not the Chase Sapphire Preferred.
- Lower your credit utilization to under 30% for 2 months before applying. That means paying down your existing cards so your balance is less than 30% of your limit.
- Apply for one card at a time. Multiple applications in 30 days hurt your score. Wait 6 months between applications.
- Use the card for all everyday spending to hit the sign-up bonus. Set up automatic payments to avoid late fees.
- Redeem rewards for statement credits against travel purchases. Most cards let you erase travel charges from the last 90 days.
The Wells Fargo Autograph is the easiest card to get approved for with a 690 score. It earns 3x on dining, travel, and gas — the three categories young adults spend most on. No annual fee, no foreign transaction fees, and a $200 bonus after $1,000 spend.
Get the Capital One VentureOne if your credit score is 670 or below and you want the simplest earning structure. Get the Discover it Miles if you want to build credit while earning rewards. Get the Chase Sapphire Preferred only if you travel 4+ times per year and can afford the $95 fee.