The Best Credit Cards For Summer Travel 2019 Will Help You Grab Some Sun & Funds
Truth be told, it's been months since you've gone on a vacation and treated yourself to some well-deserved travel. The last trip you went on may have been a long weekend in the mountains with your besties, when the weather was still freezing. You spent afternoons skiing down the slopes and nights cuddling up near a campfire with s'mores. On the drive back, you said to everyone, "Where to next?" Since then, you haven't made solid plans or even talked about staying in a dreamy hotel in one of the top destinations around the world. You have been researching the best credit cards for summer travel 2019, though — and that's a beautiful start.
Aside from your research and diligent note taking, you've also been saving your money in a jar labeled, "For adventures." You've been collecting the quarters and random dollar bills sitting at the bottom of your tote bags, and hoping that one day you'll have enough to buy a plane ticket to paradise. Soon enough, I think you'll have plenty of funds to check the most pressing items off of your bucket list. Just continue to be patient and purposeful when it comes to your spending habits.
Maybe you don't order takeout for dinner as much, skip out on shopping trips, or make your morning coffee at home. It might not seem like a lot, but changing those routines can go a long way — trust me. Looking into and getting one of the best credit cards for summer travel 2019, according to WalletHub, will also help you grab some sun and funds.
What are the best credit cards for summer 2019 travel?
WalletHub, the personal-finance website, revealed that these credit cards should be on your radar in the upcoming months. They include: the Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card for Students, the Capital One® QuicksilverOne® Cash Rewards Credit Card, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, the Lufthansa Credit Card, Discover it® Miles, and Discover it® Secured. Each has its own perks, different minimum credit requirements, and varying annual fees. Let's get into some of that information, shall we?
According to WalletHub, the Bank of America Travel Rewards Credit Card for Students, in particular, is best for, well, students! It has an annual fee of $0 and only requires a limited or no credit history. This card comes with the unique offer of $250 in free travel (Yes, free.) if you spend $1,000 in the first 90 days of having it.
In addition, it lets you rack up points for travel-related purchases that can be put toward your future bills. You get three points per $1 spent on anything booked via the Bank of America Travel Center, and one and a half points per $1 on anything else. If you're traveling out of the country, you can also enjoy a $0 foreign transaction fee, which I seriously took advantage of when I studied abroad.
The Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card is best to get for limited credit, and the Lufthansa Credit Card is best for airline rewards. Capital One partnered with airlines such as Air China, Air Canada, and United Airlines. And for every $1 you spend with its partners, you earn two miles in travel credit.
I know that's a lot to take in, and that information is only scratching the surface of these hot summer deals and steals. You can check out the full breakdown of each of the credit cards on the WalletHub website before choosing what's the best for you, your travel habits, and financial needs.
What are some of WalletHub's tips for saving money for travel?
On top of dishing out the 411 on the best credit cards for this summer, WalletHub also provided expertise on saving money for travel. Some of WalletHub's best tips include paying with a credit card as much as you can, because you can rack up your points and those initial bonuses and rewards. It suggests putting time, energy, and thought into improving your credit score, too, so that you have access to the very best credit cards and the rewards they offer.
Personally, I love WalletHub's tip on avoiding high booking prices by traveling in the off-season or when tourists are least likely to flood a destination. I also love that it mentions to shop around and find the best prices for plane tickets, accommodations, and the excursions you've been hoping to take. You can often find a much better deal just by doing an extra search online or downloading and using one of the best travel apps to have.
What trends amongst travelers were revealed in WalletHub's 2019 summer credit card travel survey?
If you're not totally convinced that a travel credit card will go a long way for you this summer, WalletHub found some trends amongst travelers in its survey. It revealed that you're not alone in your worries about having funds for travel. In fact, about 49% of the responses it received from consumers throughout the country said that money was their primary concern, next to weather, getting enough sleep, and delays.
WalletHub also found that 42% of people use credit card rewards to pay for at least a portion of their trip, and that 11% are "likely" or "very likely" to apply for one of these travel credit cards before going, so that they can rack up the points. Long story short: You can and should be part of this statistic, instead of asking yourself a couple months from now, "Is it time to travel yet?"
What types of trips should you plan this summer with a travel credit card?
Before I let you go, I want to give you some #inspo. You may be asking yourself, "What kinds of trips should I go on this summer?" — especially because your bucket list is so long. Here are my recommendations.
If your life has been busy lately, treat yourself to a trip for pictures and relaxation. Clear your camera roll and then head to somewhere with palm trees, red rock, or white sands that will make for the most perfect Instagram post.
If you feel like you need some adventure in your life, then I would hop on a plane to the other side of the world, swim in the waterfalls, and take in the rich culture of another country. Just be sure to bring along your travel credit card for those points and rewards that are as sweet as a slice of pineapple in the summertime.
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