The best credit card for travel

The catch most lists skip.

Two things surprise people here. First, flexible cards usually beat single-airline co-brand cards for general travel — transferable points aren't locked to one program. Second, we don't count lounge access, elite status, or "book through our portal" bonus rates: lounges and status aren't cash, and a portal rate locks you into the issuer's travel site. So this is the best card for earning on travel you book directly — a mid-tier card whose fee is erased by a real credit can out-net an $895 premium card whose value is mostly perks. Wanting lounges and status is a fair goal, but it's a different question than net value.