Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card Review 2024: Your Next Travel Card?

Key takeaways

Who should get the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey?

The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey is a good choice for frequent travelers and even infrequent travelers. It's easy to get value from this card with its low $95 annual fee that effectively drops by $50 if you use the $50 annual airfare statement credit each year.

But, how does it stack up against the Chase Sapphire Preferred which offers some of the best travel benefits and rewards for the same annual fee? The Sapphire Preferred offers more options and value for points redemption, but the Autograph Journey has stronger earning potential.

On the redemption side, the Chase card offers 14 transfer partners while Wells Fargo only offers six. Since transferring your points to airlines and hotels is how you'll get the best redemption rates, this is a significant difference. It's likely we'll see Wells Fargo add more partners over time and close this gap.

But, when it comes to earning points, the Autograph Journey allows you to earn 5X points on hotels and 4X points on airlines while the Sapphire Preferred only lets you earn the top rate on travel booked through Chase Travel, limiting your earning potential and flexibility.

Both are really solid choices. If you're already in the Chase or Wells Fargo ecosystem, it's a good bet to get the matching card so you can benefit from the simplicity of having everything in one app and the ability to transfer points between cards. If not, the Chase Sapphire Preferred has slightly better benefits. But, there's no need to limit yourself to just one card — both deserve a spot in your wallet.

Credit card basics

Why we like the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey credit card: benefits and perks

• Welcome offer: Earn 60,000 bonus points when you spend $4,000 in purchases in the first 3 months – that’s $600 toward your next trip.
• High rewards rate: Earn unlimited 5X points on hotels, 4X points on airlines, 3X points on other travel and restaurants, and 1X points on other purchases. This is a high earning rate that most other travel cards can’t match.
• Annual airfare statement credit: Earn a $50 annual statement credit with a $50 minimum airline purchase.
• No foreign transaction fees: Avoid paying foreign transaction fees while traveling abroad or making purchases from foreign merchants.
• Travel protection benefits: Take advantage of travel protection benefits, including trip cancellation insurance.
• Cell phone protection: You can receive reimbursement for damaged, stolen, or unrecoverable cell phones. Receive up to $1,000 per claim (minus a $25 deductible) for up to two claims and a maximum of $2,000 per 12-month period.
• Autograph card exclusives: Receive access to exclusive live entertainment events as an Autograph Journey cardholder.
• Points transfer: With certain Wells Fargo credit cards, including the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card and Wells Fargo Autograph Journey, you can transfer your points to travel partner loyalty programs. Some available partners include Choice Privileges, Air France-KLM Flying Blue, and British Airways Executive Club.
• Credit limit: The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey has a minimum credit limit of $2,000.

What we don’t like about this card: drawbacks

• Annual fee: There’s a $95 annual fee. If you compare credit cards, there are plenty of cards with no annual fee. But as travel cards go, the Autograph Journey’s annual fee is reasonable.
• Limited transfer partners: The Autograph Journey starts out with (essentially) four transfer partners because British Airways Executive Club, AerClub, and Iberia Plus all share Avios rewards. Some of the best rewards credit cards have 10 or more transfer partners.

Earning and redeeming Wells Fargo Autograph Journey rewards

Potential earnings in years one and two

Here's a look at how your rewards can add up with the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey credit card. To calculate these values, we used a point valuation of 0.01.

Remember, this is an estimation. The actual value will be determined by how much you spend and in which categories you spend.

Year one earnings: $1,250

Year two earnings: $650

These values are based on the FinanceBuzz Credit Card Rewards Valuation Model which takes a look at points earned via spending, the welcome bonus, and the annual fee.

Best ways to earn

The best way to earn rewards with the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey is by using it as much as possible on travel-related purchases. For example, you can earn 5X points on hotels and 4X points on airlines, which is above what most travel cards offer for hotel stays and flights.

For everyday earning, take advantage of the 3X points on other travel and restaurants. If you tend to eat out a lot, you could quickly rack up travel rewards

Maximizing your redemptions

Transferring your points to an airline or hotel partner can get you the most value from your points. With a smart redemption, you could earn significantly more per point than the $0.01 valuation you'll get with most other redemption methods.

Wells Fargo has five airline partners that transfer at a 1:1 ratio (Aer Lingus AerClub, Air France-KLM Flying Blue, Avianca LifeMiles, British Airways Executive Club, and Iberia Plus), plus one hotel partner, Choice Privileges, that transfers at a 1:2 ratio.

Other redemption options include:

• Paper check
• Deposit into an eligible Wells Fargo checking or savings account
• Statement credit
• Wells Fargo ATM withdrawal (if you also have a Wells Fargo debit or ATM card)
• Travel, including flights, car rentals, and hotel stays
• Eligible PayPal purchases
• Gift cards
• Charitable donations

Other cards to consider

If the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey doesn’t seem like the right fit for you, consider the Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card and Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card.

Card	Welcome offer	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.	Earn 60,000 bonus points after $4,000 in purchases in your first 3 months from account opening (that's worth $750 when redeemed through Chase Travel). Plus, get up to $300 in statement credits on Chase Travel purchases within your first year	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 Rewards Credit Card 4.7 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.	Earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening	2 miles per dollar on every purchase, every day, 5 miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5 miles per dollar on Capital One Entertainment purchases through 12/31/25	$95

The Chase Sapphire Preferred has the same $95 annual fee but provides access to more transfer partners. You can also take advantage of combining points between multiple Chase cards to maximize your earning potential.

Learn more in our Chase Sapphire Preferred review.

The Capital One Venture Rewards has a $95 annual fee and makes earning travel rewards easy with its simple rewards rate. If you want to avoid worrying about different earning categories, you can largely do so by earning at least 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, every day.

Learn more in our Capital One Venture Rewards review.

Top-Notch Rewards Rates + Travel Perks

Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card

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.

Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card

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.

Apply Now

Why We Like It

Earn 60,000 bonus points when you spend $4,000 in purchases in the first 3 months – that’s $600 toward your next trip

Rates and fees

Apply Now

See how these cards compare:

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

• Generous welcome offer valued at up to $1,050 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

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

• Has a generous welcome offer
• Offers up to $120 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® statement credit
• Has an easy rewards program and highly flexible travel redemptions
• Doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees
• Offers valuable travel protections
• Rates and fees

FAQ

Bottom line

We like the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey. It’s an excellent travel card with high earning potential and a low $95 annual fee. We think this card could make sense as the go-to travel card for plenty of people, especially if you already bank with Wells Fargo.

With its cell phone protection, $50 annual airfare credit, and other protection benefits, the Autograph Journey makes a real statement as a balanced and competitive card suited for all types of travelers.

If you prefer different types of perks or benefits, such as airport lounge access, check out our list of the best travel credit cards.

Top-Notch Rewards Rates + Travel Perks

Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card

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.

Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card

Apply Now

Rates and fees

Current Offer

Earn 60,000 bonus points when you spend $4,000 in purchases in the first 3 months – that’s $600 toward your next trip

Annual Fee

$95

Rewards Rate

Earn unlimited 5X points on hotels, 4X points on airlines, 3X points on other travel and restaurants, and 1X points on other purchases

Benefits and Drawbacks

Benefits

• Earn 60,000 bonus points when you spend $4,000 in purchases in the first 3 months – that’s $600 toward your next trip
• Earn unlimited 5X points on hotels, 4X points on airlines, 3X points on other travel and restaurants, and 1X points on other purchases
• Earn a $50 annual statement credit with $50 minimum airline purchase
• No foreign transaction fees

Drawbacks

• No airport lounge access
• Limited transfer partners

Card Details

• Select “Apply Now” to take advantage of this specific offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
• Earn 60,000 bonus points when you spend $4,000 in purchases in the first 3 months – that’s $600 toward your next trip.
• Earn unlimited 5X points on hotels, 4X points on airlines, 3X points on other travel and restaurants, and 1X points on other purchases.
• $95 annual fee.
• Book your travel with the Autograph Journey Card and enjoy Travel Accident Insurance, Lost Baggage Reimbursement, Trip Cancellation and Interruption Protection and Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver.
• Earn a $50 annual statement credit with $50 minimum airline purchase.
• Up to $1,000 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible.
• Find tickets to top sports and entertainment events, book travel, make dinner reservations and more with your complimentary 24/7 Visa Signature® Concierge.