Our Travel Perks Credit Cards
Most luxury travel benefits are earned, not purchased. And you don’t have to spend a lot to get a lot.
The biggest open secret to our travel lifestyle is that we use just a few credit cards to help us travel like millionaires without breaking the bank.
We know how to spend money to save money.
If you’ve seen any our family’s travel videos, you’ve probably noticed that we often travel in luxury. But here’s the thing—we don’t pay nearly as much as it may seem. Through a combination of brand loyalty and smart credit card choices, we’re able to experience the world at a level typically reserved for those with much heftier budgets than our own. From free flights, hotel stays, and upgrades to thousands of dollars in expense reimbursements, having the right credit card can provide a lot more for so much less.
We’ve never purchased a first-class or business class ticket.
In fact, the first time any of us flew first or business class was about 5 years ago. But over the past 2 years, our entire family has gotten a bit too comfortable with the fortune of constant upgrades. Our kids regularly fly in lie-flat pods that most travelers will never experience. It’s a lifestyle of richness for which we’re very grateful. And leveraging the full power of our favorite credit cards helps make it happen.
Our Favorite Credit Cards for Travel Perks
Of course, terms and restrictions apply to the benefits we list. Select a card for details.
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
Current Offer:
Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $20,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
Annual Fee:
$695
Intro APR:
N/A
Regular APR:
18.99% - 27.99% Variable
Why We Love It:
We’ve been American Express Platinum Card holders for about 15 years now and, despite the hefty annual fee, we’ve never found justification to get rid of it. Centurion® are some of the best airport lounges in North America and you can enjoy them in numerous cities around the world (along with the rest of the American Express Global Lounge Collection). That benefit alone (free wifi, food, alcoholic/non-alcoholic beverages, and a more upscale environment to wait for your flights) can easily offset the annual fee if you travel regularly, but it only gets better from there. With statement credits for things like CLEAR®, Uber Cash, airline fees (luggage, change fees, in-flight food and wifi, etc.) for your selected airline, certain hotel bookings, streaming services, and more, you can easily make a nifty profit just by being a cardholder.
Beyond statement credits, you have special access to VIP events and 24x7 access to the 1-800 concierge number on the back of the card. We’ve used that resource to book travel, secure upscale restaurant reservations (more than once at places that told me directly that they had no availability), and address any other account needs you have.
When all is said and done, we’ve just learned to see the annual fee not as an expense, but as an investment. And it’s paid off every year we’ve been cardholders.
*Enrollment required for these benefits
American Express® Gold Card
Current Offer:
60,000 points + earn up to $100 back Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
Annual Fee:
$325
Intro APR:
N/A
Regular APR:
See Pay Over Time APR
Why We Love It*
Since we rely primarily on our American Express Business Platinum Card for business spending, we employ the American Express Gold card for most of our personal spending. This card earns us 4x Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., but we earn the same 4x points at U.S. supermarkets, including online purchases from Whole Foods (through Amazon) and Amazon Fresh. These points build up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then drop to 1x. We also get 3x Membership Rewards® Points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com, both of which are ultra-valuable. Transferring points to a partner airline can often get you awards tickets for fewer points than the airlines themselves charge.
Key Benefits:*
$120 in dining credits, $10 per month, the Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations. Enrollment required.
$120 Uber Cash: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year.
No foreign transaction fees makes this a particularly good card for dining out while abroad
Enrollment in American Express Preferred Access, which offers premium seating at concerts, sporting events, etc.
*Enrollment required for these benefits
Please be aware that some or all of the card offers that appear on this website are from advertisers. Always Be Changing may receive perks from card issuers if you follow the links on our website and that compensation may impact how and where card products appear on our site. Also be aware that our site does not include all card companies or all available card offers. Opinions expressed on this website are ours alone, and not those of the companies listed. Additionally, the content on this website has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the companies listed. However, we may be compensated by the companies listed above through their affiliate programs. Read our full advertising disclosure here.