Best Travel Credit Cards for Honeymoons [2024]: Use These for a Free Vacation

For many happy couples, the one thing getting them through the woes of wedding planning is the relaxation and adventure of the honeymoon. Honeymoon expenses can fluctuate wildly based on the destination, time of year, and type of experience you want to have. Luckily, you can book your honeymoon largely with points and miles if strategically planned.

To start, you’ll need the proper credit cards in your wallet. Ideally, you’ll have several general travel rewards cards that earn a transferable point currency. Once you have your ideal cards in hand, you can refer your future spouse, which could allow both of you to earn bonus points. With enough points, you’ll be able to pay for your honeymoon — flights, hotels, experiences — entirely with points and miles.

The best credit cards for honeymoons

• Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card
• Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
• The Platinum Card^® from American Express
• Citi Strata Premier℠ Card

Compare the best credit cards for honeymoons

Card name	Best for	Rewards rate	Annual fee
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card 4.9 FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.	Booking travel through a travel portal	Earn 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠; 3X points on dining, select streaming services, and online groceries; 2X points on all other travel purchases, and 1X points on all other purchases	$95
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card 4.9 FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.	Wedding purchases	Earn 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, every day; 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, 5 miles per dollar on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel, and 5 miles per dollar on Capital One Entertainment purchases through 12/31/25	$395
The Platinum Card® from American Express 5.0 FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.	Lounge access	Earn 5X points per dollar spent on eligible airfare (on up to $500,000 per calendar year, after that 1X) and eligible hotel purchases, and 1X points per dollar on all other eligible purchases	$695
Citi Strata Premier℠ Card 4.9 FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.	Bonus points on travel	Earn 10X points on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked on CitiTravel.com; 3X points on air travel and other hotel purchases, at restaurants, supermarkets, gas and EV charging stations; and 1X points on all other purchases	$95

Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card

The Chase Sapphire Preferred is one of the most popular travel credit cards for a reason. It’s ideal for honeymooners looking for a straightforward way to use their points and miles. If you book travel through Chase Travel, you can take advantage of a 25% bump in value of your points. You’ll also get a $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit. You can book experiences through the portal as well, which gives you even more savings for your trip. If you want to become a points and miles aficionado, you can transfer your points to over a dozen travel partners.

I hold the Chase Sapphire Preferred, and although I’ve never planned a honeymoon, I do travel full-time. It’s a staple card in my wallet thanks to its comprehensive travel protections, versatile rewards, and valuable benefits that easily outweigh its low annual fee.

You could also consider the Sapphire Preferred’s sibling, the Chase Sapphire Reserve^®, which provides many more benefits for a much higher annual fee of $550. If you want airport lounge access, a larger and more flexible annual travel credit, or a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck every four years, this could be the better option.

Read our Chase Sapphire Preferred review to learn more.

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

Card details
Rewards rate: Earn 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, every day; 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, 5 miles per dollar on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel, and 5 miles per dollar on Capital One Entertainment purchases through 12/31/25.
Annual fee: $395
Welcome offer: Earn 75,000 miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

The Capital One Venture X is my favorite credit card and a must-have for anyone planning their wedding or honeymoon. In exchange for a moderate annual fee, you’ll receive airport lounge access, a $300 annual travel credit towards Capital One Travel bookings, and up to a $120 credit every four years for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck. Capital One also offers a lengthy list of hotel and airline partners with a heavier focus on international partners. If you want to go abroad for your honeymoon, the Venture X could be the best way to go.

Plus, it’s a handy card to have in your wallet while planning your wedding. You can earn 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, every day, from caterers to your venue. Weddings can easily cost $40,000 or more, translating to thousands of miles.

Even though the annual fee is easy to offset, it’s still higher than some want to spend. You can consider the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, which offers a similar rewards structure at a much lower $95 annual fee. It doesn’t offer lounge access or a travel credit, but it still gives you a credit for a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee. This could be a better option if you’re still getting your feet wet with travel rewards.

Read our Capital One Venture X review to learn more.

The Platinum Card^® from American Express

Card details
Rewards rate: Earn 5X points per dollar spent on eligible airfare (on up to $500,000 per calendar year, after that 1X) and eligible hotel purchases, and 1X points per dollar on all other eligible purchases.
Annual fee: $695
Welcome offer: Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new card in the first 6 months.

The Platinum Card from American Express isn’t for everyone, but it could help you have a phenomenal honeymoon thanks to its statement credits, lounge access, and elite status. Cardholders can earn the following benefits that will be helpful on your trip:

• Up to $200 airline fee credit per calendar year to help cover incidental airline fees
• Up to $200 annual hotel credit for prepaid Amex Travel bookings through Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts or The Hotel Collection (requires a minimum two-night stay)
• Up to $200 ($15 monthly plus $20 in December) annual Uber Cash to use on Uber rides or UberEats orders
• Up to $199 annual CLEAR Plus credit.
• Up to $120 credit for the application fee for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry
• Select benefits require enrollment

If you think you can maximize the statement credits and will benefit from having elite status at these hotels and car rental companies, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more lucrative card. American Express also offers a long list of hotel and airline partners.

If you don’t think you’ll maximize the statement credits but still want to earn Membership Rewards, you can consider the American Express^® Green Card, which earns 3X on eligible travel and transit purchases, and at eligible restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. and gives you up to $199 in statement credits for a CLEAR Plus membership each year. The additional benefits are minimal, but the earning potential and CLEAR Plus credits are more than enough to outweigh the $150 annual fee.

Read our Platinum Card from American Express review to learn more.

Citi Strata Premier℠ Card

Card details
Rewards rate: 10X points on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked on CitiTravel.com; 3X points on air travel and other hotel purchases, at restaurants, supermarkets, gas and EV charging stations; and 1X points on all other purchases.
Annual fee: $95
Welcome offer: For a limited time, earn 75,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $750 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com.

The Citi Strata Premier is the best option on this list if you’re concerned about earning the most points per dollar on your purchases. You’ll also earn a $100 hotel credit on hotel bookings of $500 or more purchased through CitiTravel.com. The card has some standard travel protections and allows you to transfer points to travel partners. When put next to the Sapphire Preferred or Venture X, this card tends to be overlooked, but it offers great benefits that shouldn’t be missed.

Read our Citi Strata Premier Card review to learn more.

How to choose the best credit card for honeymoon travel

Planning a honeymoon isn’t all that different from planning a vacation. Depending on where you want to go, you might need to book lodging, airfare, a rental car, and excursions. You might also pay for some pre-trip expenses like a pet sitter, new clothes, or upgraded luggage. You’ll also need to factor in the money you’ll spend while you’re gone on food, souvenirs, and spur-of-the-moment activities.

Consider these factors to help you choose the best travel credit card for honeymoons:

1. Rewards rate: A card that earns more rewards on travel or dining purchases may make more sense for a honeymoon. It’s also worth considering applying for a card with bonus reward categories that align with your everyday or wedding spending. Weddings are so expensive you may earn enough points paying them to cover part or all of your honeymoon.
2. Travel benefits: If you want your experience to be more comfortable, choose a card that offers airport lounge access, elite statuses with hotels or car rentals, travel insurance, or even statement credits for various travel expenses.
3. Foreign transaction fees: If you’re planning a honeymoon to another country, you need a card that doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees on purchases. None of the cards we’ve chosen here do.
4. Earn a transferable point currency: You should be earning several different transferable point currencies so you can maximize the number of hotel and airline transfer partners you have access to.FAQ

FAQs

Bottom line

Ideally, you’ll have several of these cards in your wallet when preparing for your honeymoon. Remember, it takes time to accumulate points and learn how to maximize their value, so don’t wait until the last minute to start preparing. If you know you will be getting engaged soon, go ahead and apply for one or two cards so you have a nice bank of points and miles when you’re ready to book your trip.

Great for Flexible Travel Rewards

Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card

4.9

FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.

Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card

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Current Offer

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Annual Fee

$95

Rewards Rate

5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠; 3X points on dining, select streaming services, and online groceries; 2X points on all other travel purchases, and 1X points on all other purchases

Benefits and Drawbacks

Benefits

• Generous welcome offer valued at $750 when redeemed via Chase Travel
• High rewards on dining and bookings via Chase Travel
• 25% more value when redeeming points for travel through Chase Travel
• Up to $50 in annual statement credits for hotel stays booked through Chase Travel
• Receive valuable travel protections like trip delay reimbursement and primary rental car insurance

Drawbacks

• Has a $95 annual fee
• Doesn’t offer airport lounge access or premium travel perks like Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit
• Doesn't offer bonus points on gas or in-person groceries purchases

Card Details

• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
• Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
• Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
• Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2027.
• Member FDIC