The Best Travel Credit Cards for Digital Nomads
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Our hotel in Singapore for 5 days? Free. 2 tickets on a long-haul flight from Singapore to Istanbul where I’m working remotely for the month and eating amazing Turkish breakfasts? Free. Most of our flights during the 12 months we’ll be traveling this year? Also free.
By “free,” of course, I mean the travel points accumulated by my partner Kyle and I paid for the entirety of these things. You can get these travel points by signing up for travel credit cards and using those to pay for all of your normal expenses.
As a full-time digital nomad, this is especially clutch because you don’t pay for “rent” in the traditional way most people do: instead, you use credit cards to book stays across Airbnbs, hostels, hotels, and other accommodations under the “travel” category — which means you have the opportunity to rack up tons of points to stretch your money further and get free flights and free stays.
When I started my digital nomad journey, I didn’t have any travel credit cards. But when my partner Kyle showed me how we could optimize our travels using them, I became hooked and now see it as an awesome way to maximize your travel spend and make your life as a digital nomad more fun.
I’ve tried tons of travel credit cards, and I’m convinced there are two that are best for digital nomads: the Capital One Venture X and Chase Sapphire Reserve travel credit cards. I’ve moved away from Amex (which has been declining in value the past few years) which is why I no longer recommend their travel cards.
In this article, I’ll break down the pros and cons of both cards so you can decide which travel credit card fits your nomadic lifestyle best.
(Note: none of this is financial advice, so be sure to check with your CPA if you have any questions, btw!)
Welcome Bonus Comparison for Travel Credit Cards for Digital Nomads
A “welcome bonus” is the first set of travel points that you get after you open a new credit card. Here are the current welcome bonuses for both cards:
• Capital One Venture X: Offers a 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening.
• Chase Sapphire Reserve: Also provides 75,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
Winner: Tie - Both cards offer generous welcome bonuses that can kickstart your travel rewards journey.
*The bonus offers sometimes change so be sure to check the most recent, but the offers should be updated on the links provided below.
Annual Fee Comparison for Travel Credit Cards for Digital Nomads
While you can pick a card without an annual fee, I’ve found that these two credit cards pay back their annual fees pretty quickly with the value of the benefits of the card — especially if you find yourself booking tons of travel.
Here’s my comparison of the annual fees between both cards:
• Capital One Venture X: Comes with an annual fee of $395.
• Chase Sapphire Reserve: Has a higher annual fee of $550.
Winner: Capital One Venture X - The lower annual fee makes it a more attractive option for cost-conscious travelers.
Earning Rates Comparison for Travel Credit Cards for Digital Nomads
The “earning rate” determines how you rack up travel points when using your travel card. As a digital nomad, it’s really important to understand what this is as certain types of your spending will be multiplied for more points depending which card you book it on!
• Capital One Venture X: Earns 2 miles per dollar on all purchases, 5 miles per dollar on flights booked through Capital One Travel, and 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
• Chase Sapphire Reserve: Earns 5 points per dollar on flights, 10 points per dollar on hotels and car rentals booked through Chase Travel, 3 points per dollar on other travel and dining, and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.
Winner: Tie - While the Venture X offers consistent rewards on all purchases, the Sapphire Reserve excels in travel and dining categories.
Redemption Options Comparison for Travel Credit Cards for Digital Nomads
Redemption options is a fancy way for saying “how can I use my travel points”? In certain cases, there are transfer bonuses that allow you to multiply your points if you transfer them to partner airlines and hotels within your travel card’s partner network. (This method is often how all the travel gurus get first-class flights for cheap!)
• Capital One Venture X: Points can be redeemed for travel purchases, statement credits, or transferred to travel partners.
• Chase Sapphire Reserve: Points are worth 1.5 cents each when redeemed for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards or for eligible “Pay Yourself Back” purchases.
Winner: Chase Sapphire Reserve - The enhanced value for travel redemptions and flexible redemption options give it an edge over the Venture X.
Travel Benefits Comparison for Travel Credit Cards for Digital Nomads
As a digital nomad, it’s awesome to be able to chill in an airport lounge before your flight and have other benefits to make your travel life smoother. Here are some of the benefits each card has in the travel category:
• Capital One Venture X: Includes Priority Pass lounge access, unlimited access to Capital One lounges, and Plaza Premium lounges. Authorized users also get lounge access for no additional fee. And it has a $300 annual travel credit, which is a huge way that you can offset the annual fee of this card.
• Chase Sapphire Reserve: Provides Priority Pass lounge access, access to The Club lounges, and also a $300 annual travel credit that is automatically applied to eligible travel purchases.
Winner: Chase Sapphire Reserve - Slightly more comprehensive with automatic travel credits and broader lounge access.
Additional Benefits Comparison for Travel Credit Cards for Digital Nomads
Beyond the travel benefits, here are some of the other benefits to consider for both travel credit cards as a digital nomad:
• Capital One Venture X: Offers a 10,000 miles anniversary bonus (valued at $100) on top of the $300 annual travel credit through Capital One Travel, so that’s $400 of value immediately each year with the card when it has a $395 fee. They are paying you $5 to have the card. And the robust travel insurance make it an amazing card (so you don’t have to get car rental insurance anymore). Also if the price of a flight drops after you buy the ticket Capital One will reimburse you the differences
• Chase Sapphire Reserve: Offers $300 annual travel credit applicable to any travel purchase, a 50% point redemption bonus for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards, and extensive travel insurance.
Winner: Depends. If you want immediate and low-complicated value, you should pick the Venture X. If you’re a power user — Chase Sapphire Reserve — the versatility of the travel credit and superior redemption value really pushes this card over the top.
Drawbacks Comparison for Travel Credit Cards for Digital Nomads
There are pros and cons to every travel credit card on the market. Here are the downsides of both of these cards:
• Capital One Venture X: Lower earning rates on dining and general travel, travel credit restricted to bookings through Capital One Travel.
• Chase Sapphire Reserve: Higher annual fee and additional fee for authorized users.
Which Travel Credit Card is Best for Digital Nomads?
If you’re a full-time digital nomad, here’s how to look at both credit cards:
• Capital One Venture X: Ideal for digital nomads who prefer a straightforward rewards system with a lower annual fee and no extra cost for authorized users. It’s perfect for those who book their travel through a single portal and value simplicity. If you’ve never dealt with transferring points and all of that and don’t want to think about what card to use when. Then this is the most straightforward approach for you.
• Chase Sapphire Reserve: Best suited for those who want to maximize their travel rewards through higher earning rates on travel and dining, like playing the transfer points game, and utilize a variety of redemption options for enhanced value.
Winner: Chase Sapphire Reserve. For the seasoned traveler who leverages every benefit and seeks maximum value from their rewards, the Sapphire Reserve is the top choice. However, for those looking to minimize fees while still enjoying premium benefits, the Capital One Venture X remains a fantastic contender.
Ready to make your decision? Apply now (Reserve or Venture X) and start earning rewards tailored to your travel lifestyle!
Happy travel hacking!
Also if you want to read the fine print, like I do, here it is for the Reserve and the Venture X.
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