It should already go without saying that travel and dining are unanimously the most popular categories in the credit card market to date. I mean, in a sense, these two categories can go hand-in-hand if you wanted it to and the both categories can be such a strong independent category, however, in this post, we’ll be looking at some of the more exceptional cards to offer both the Travel and Dining categories and allows for maximize-able points and miles to stretch your travel experiences even further.

Best Travel – Airlines:

There’s no question what lands the Platinum Card from American Express as the top contender in travel when it comes to airlines and airlines perks as a wholesome entity. Although a much more expensive annual fee price tag of $550 arises comparative to the Platinum’s competitors; the card can earn you a whopping 9.5 cents per dollar spent towards airfare, taking into account also the $200 airfare fee credit, $200 Uber credit, access to AMEX most prestigious of lounges, elite Starwood/Hilton status and so much more.

You can trigger such valuations easily by booking directly with airline or via Amex Travel, however, I can’t say the same about the Business variant Platinum Card which still does earn 9.5 cents per dollar towards airfare, however you’re limited to triggering such a value only through AMEX Travel. Quite understandable since the Business Platinum comes through with a $450 annual fee vs the $550 opposed towards the Platinum Card.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve hits our next stop of top contenders on our list and unveils it’s utmost premium travel benefits at 6.6 cent per dollar spent on travel on top of $300 annual travel credit, Complimentary lounge access at over 900+ lounges and so much more, at a $450 annual fee. Of course, you can always settle with the Ink Business Preferred at a $95 annual fee and earn the same 6.6 cents per dollar spent on travel, however, it’s worth noting that there will be a $150,000 cap within each calendar year. Convenience and flexibility on both the cards is significantly the reason for popular demand.

Best Travel – Hotels:

When it comes to booking for hotels, you want to be able to maximize your rewards as much as possible:

A major key I want to note here is that although the Platinum Card and it’s Business Platinum sister card does earn the highest total earned per dollar spent at 9.5 cents per dollar, both cards only earn 5x per dollar on hotel purchases when booking a prepaid rate at Amex Travel, which isn’t exactly the best banger for your bucks in terms of savings when you take into account that prepaid rates on AMEX Travel is rather expensive (comparative to Travelocity and other leading travel sites). On top of that, you won’t be earning hotel elite credits when booking via AMEX Travel.

Moving along, the Ink Business Preferred is suitably promising considering the relatively-low $95 annual fee, loose terminology of travel and how you trigger the 6.6 cents per dollar spent. On another note, the Citi Prestige Card could also be a viable option to look into considering the attractive 4th night free perk.

Best Dining Rewards:

When it comes to booking for hotels, you want to be able to maximize your rewards as much as possible:

There’s no surprise that the Chase Sapphire Reserve unanimously attained our top contender in dining rewards on the premise that the 3x rewards will effectively earn 6.6 cents per dollar spent, however, with a $450 annual fee, the more affordable Chase Sapphire Preferred at a $95 annual fee (waived for the first year) is a clear-cut contender as well with 4.4 cents per dollar spent.

Conclusion:

Travel can be a term used so loosely, which is why it’s completely necessary to have it divided in such a manner from airlines to hotels, practicality lies within what your general spending is on, especially when it comes to travel. If you want top-notch premium benefits on your airlines or hotel needs; the Platinum Card and Business Platinum could be a viable option, however, you must also take into account the expensive annual fee and just how you’ll be booking your flights and airfare.

Moreover, the Chase Sapphire Reserve also poses as a viable option when it comes to it’s loosely termed travel category and best dining rewards to have ever surfaced the credit card industry. It’s all a matter of your preferences, of course, the Chase Sapphire Preferred is yet another option consider affordability and the value you get pertaining to travel. If you have a card that you’d think belongs on this list, be sure to make your comment out in the comment section, we’d really appreciate it! Looking for more? Then check out our complete list of Credit Card Promotions today!