We review the best credit cards for travel rewards that can be redeemed for flights, hotels, or dining at Walt Disney World and Disneyland. These same cards are also good options for any destination in the world–that includes places like Tokyo Disney Resort, DLP, and even Japan or France as a whole. (Updated August 4, 2025.)
We understand and appreciate that credit cards are not for everyone, but that does not make them inherently bad. Between the two of us, Sarah and I have had ~25 credit cards, received tens of thousands of dollars in rewards, seldom pay cash for flights or non-Disney hotels, and never pay any interest on purchases.
Credit card debt is obviously bad. It should go without saying that you aren’t coming out ahead with rewards if you’re paying interest. That does not change the fact that “debt” is not an inherent element of possessing a credit card. Nor does it change the fact that an inherent element of credit cards is rewards and perks. We’ll stop with the preachiness, but felt a little of it was necessary to overcome the terrible stigma associated with having credit cards.
Let’s turn to our methodology for determining which credit cards belong on this list. Factors include annual fees, sign-up bonuses, earning and redemption rates, reward options, redemption difficulty, and ancillary benefits (such as free checked bags).
One factor that is notably omitted is APR. All of the benefits offered by credit cards are outweighed by paying any amount of interest, and that goes for any credit card. While valuable tools if you leverage their benefits and pay off your balance in full each month, credit cards are counterproductive when they carry a balance.
Again, this is because we use credit cards for their rewards and awards. If you have good credit, time to spare, the desire to travel, and some great organizational skills, we recommend that you do the same. This is how we “pay” for many flights, stays in ~$1,000/night hotels, and are able to use airport lounges, among many other things.
Credit cards are an integral component of this. We used to be big on “churning,” which involves simultaneously opening new credit cards based upon which perks are being offered, spending the appropriate amounts to receive those perks, redeeming said perks, and closing or downgrading the card account after the first full year of having it. (If you wondered why we’ve gone through so many credit cards, that’s precisely the reason.)
More recently, we’ve been still been rotating through some credit cards, but aren’t as diligent about it. Although after booking our December 2025 trip to Japan and significantly depleting our points stockpiles on a trio of luxury hotels, we’re planning on getting back in the game again!
Suffice to say, churning can be well worth the effort if you want to get serious about travel hacking. There’s a slight learning curve involved, but once you spend a few hours learning the ins and outs, you’ll overcome that and be rewarded with the knowledge needed for inexpensive or totally free travel.
With that out of the way, here are the travel credit cards we recommend…
Disney Premier Visa Credit Card
Let’s start with the most obvious option, given that this is a Disney blog. Despite that fact, we are not huge fans of the various Disney Visa credit cards. This is a credit card we have, but not one we use with regularity. We cannot stress enough that the Disney Visa is NOT the best credit card for Walt Disney World or Disneyland, counterintuitive as that might seem.
This credit card is really only advantageous to use while at Disney destinations, making it a solid specialized use card for Disney fans, but not among the best cards on this list–even for Disney fans. It’s a good card to have as a 4th or 5th card to hold simply for the perks, but not for the rewards and certainly not everyday use.
Basically, it comes down to rewards. You are better off with a regular cash back credit or a different credit card for travel. The value you’ll derive from those rewards will be much higher than this, and you won’t be locked in to Disney rewards points. We do a more thorough job of explaining why in our Disney Visa Credit Card Pros & Cons post.
The Disney Premier Visa card has a $49 annual fee and offers 2% rewards at gas stations, grocery stores, restaurants, and most Disney locations, and 1% everywhere else. It’s also good for some discounts at Walt Disney World and Disneyland; sometimes Disney Visa holders also receive advantages when it comes to Free Dining.
We know a lot of people who use this for everyday purchases and then use the rewards to pay for portions of their Walt Disney World vacations. Flip the script on that: use this credit card while at Walt Disney World, and not for everyday purchases. (Redeem the rewards for DisneyStore.com purchases.) Currently, there’s receive a sign-up bonus of up to $300 in rewards dollars after spending $1,000 within the first 3 months with our referral link.
Chase Sapphire Reserve Credit Card
This is another one of our primary credit cards for travel purchases. One reason we recommend this card is because of its redemption flexibility, as its rewards are not tied to any single airline or hotel chain. Another is that it earns at a higher rate (across the board) than almost any other card.
The biggest balking point on this card is going to be the annual fee, which just increased from $550 to $795. Honestly, that wasn’t the biggest blow from our perspective–it was that travel purchases now earn only 1 point per dollar, a significant cut from the previous 3X rate that applied to all travel not booked through Chase. There are now 4X rates for flights and hotels booked directly, which is the Sapphire Reserve’s potential saving grace.
Honestly, the annual fee doesn’t bother us nearly as much. Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders still receive a $300 per year travel credit, as well as TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application fee, plus DoorDash and Lyft credits, StubHub credits, Apple TV+ and Apple Music credits, and Peloton membership credits. There are also credits for Chase’s high-end hotel and dining portals, but we haven’t found much use in those.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve also offers complimentary IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite Status through December 31, 2027. IHG is not one of the loyalty programs we use, so to each their own on that. More significant is that Sapphire Reserve cardholders get access to Chase Sapphire Lounges and Priority Pass lounges for themselves and up to two guests. There are currently eight Sapphire lounges, with three more lounges set to open soon. None in Orlando, but there are Priority Pass lounges at MCO (The Club).
Arguably the biggest benefit is the flexibility of Chase Ultimate Rewards points, which gives them a value that’s well above-average. Currently, you can receive a sign-up bonus of 100,000 points in rewards dollars after spending $5,000 within the first 3 months with our referral link. If valuing these points at around 1.5 to 2 cents each when transferred out and maximized, the value of the sign-up bonus alone is easily double to triple the annual fee. And that’s before accounting for the perks.
Chase Ink Preferred
The Ink Business Preferred Credit Card is one of the best travel cards thanks to the card’s rewards and value. For only a $95 annual fee, you earn 3X points on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on travel, advertising, shipping, and internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year. Earn 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.
This is the only Ink card that earns transferrable Chase Ultimate Rewards points as opposed to cash back (remember, points are worth more than 1 cent each if smartly redeemed). It’s also the only Chase Ink credit card that earns bonus points on travel purchases. This is technically a business card, which is why it’s often overlooked in conversations about best travel cards, but the bar for having a “business” is low. We primarily use this card for the travel earn–it not having other perks is a benefit to use since we also hold the AmEx Platinum and CSR. There are already redundancies between those two–don’t need another card offering identical credits.
The other big win here is the sign-up bonus. Currently, you can earn 90,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months using our referral link. That’s not as attractive as the CSR above, but if you’d prefer a lower-fee card or multiple Chase Ultimate Rewards cards (you can combine points across accounts!), this is a good option.
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
Think of this as the “lite” version of the Chase Sapphire Reserve Credit Card. It has the same upsides in terms of flexibility, but with scaled back earning and redemption rates, and lacks a few of the other perks. It also only has a $95 annual fee. We recommend this credit card if you travel less, don’t need or want the Sapphire Reserve, or are looking for an entry-level travel credit card.
With the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, you earn 3 points on dining, 2 points on travel per $1 spent and 1 point per $1 spent on everything else. Additionally, Chase Sapphire Preferred cardholders earn an anniversary bonus equal to 10% of their total purchases from the previous year. As with the Chase Sapphire Reserve, this uses the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal and you can also transfer them at a 1:1 rate to several loyalty programs.
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is a comparable card. For the same $95 annual fee, it offers 5X miles on hotel and rental cars booked via Capital One Travel and 2X miles per dollar on all other purchases. This is another good beginner credit card, and is more straightforward than the Chase Sapphire Reserve or other options.
American Express Platinum
This is another one of our go-to travel credit cards. Thanks to its strong slate of travel benefits and reimbursements, it’s easily worth the $695 annual fee. As steep as that may sound, it includes annual statement credits that can total approximately $1,500 and are relatively easy to use.
The Amex Platinum also offers exceptional travel insurance for delays, interruptions, cancellations, and even emergency evacuation. On top of that, concierge customer service–among many other things–is available with this card. The Amex Platinum also offers 5x points on flights and hotels, plus airline credits and Global Entry or TSA PreCheck. That’s before even getting to the American Express Membership Rewards points, which are among the most valuable–and transferrable!
Another reason we love the Amex Platinum more than any other credit card is the lounge access. We fly between Los Angeles and Orlando, typically on Delta. This card gives us access to American Express Centurion Lounges (there’s one in LAX) plus Delta Sky Clubs (also great ones at LAX, MCO, and ATL, which is a frequent layover for flights out of MCO).
With that said, the AmEx Platinum pretty much requires a high annual spend in order to make sense. Given how much we drop at Walt Disney World, Disneyland and beyond each year, it does make sense for us. YMMV. Currently, you can receive a sign-up bonus of up to 175,000 points in rewards dollars after spending $8,000 within the first 3 months with our referral link.
Marriott Bonvoy Credit Card
There are a ton of hotels where you can earn and redeem Marriott Bonvoy points. At Walt Disney World, your best options are Swan & Dolphin, and Swan Reserve hotels, which are located right next to Disney’s BoardWalk Inn and are within walking distance of both Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. But there’s also the JW Marriott Orlando Bonnet Creek Resort & Spa, and a couple options at Flamingo Crossings.
At Disneyland, the options are even better. The Westin Anaheim Resort, Courtyard Anaheim Theme Park Entrance, JW Marriott Anaheim Resort, and Fairfield Anaheim Resort all perform well on our Rankings & Reviews of Anaheim Hotels Near Disneyland. Two of those are the only luxury resorts in the city, and the other two are less than a 10 minute walk to the parks.
In addition to the sign-up bonus that’ll earn you multiple free night awards, the Marriott Bonvoy Credit Card offers up to 6 points per $1 spent at Marriott Bonvoy hotels, 2 points per $1 spent on all other purchases, and one free night per year. There are three different credit cards that are Marriott Bonvoy-branded, but we recommend the middle-tier “Boundless” card.
Sign-up bonuses vary, but it’s currently 3 free award nights, which is very good! Sign-up for the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card via our referral link!
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
Hilton is quickly becoming one of our favorite hotel chains, and is already where we stay the most. Last year, we logged over 30 nights at the Hilton Tokyo Bay–a monorail loop resort at Tokyo Disneyland, and that alone is enough for us to justify having this card. We also usually redeem our points at the Conrad Tokyo, and are looking forward to a stay at the Roku Kyoto.
At Walt Disney World, there are also three on-site Hiltons that are eligible for Early Entry! At Disneyland, the options for Hilton aren’t as good, quite frankly. We probably wouldn’t get the Aspire Card or make HHonors your program of choice if you’re primarily a Disneyland person.
With a massive sign-up bonus, you can stay several nights at any of these properties. Other perks of this Hilton Honors Amex include large category spend bonuses, Hilton property credits, airport lounge access, an airline fee credit, and Diamond Status–which means concierge lounge access, free breakfast, and room upgrades.
Sign-up for the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card via our referral link and earn 175,000 HHonors points after you spend $6,000 in purchases on the credit card within your first 6 months of membership. Offer ends 08/13/2025.
United MileagePlus Explorer Credit Card
We bounce back and forth between Delta and United as our preferred carrier depending upon the year (never American Airlines) as we’ve had success with both airlines and need a primary carrier that has actual international routes. (Although now that we have a toddler, we find ourselves flying Southwest again more and more.)
The perks provided by this card (free checked bags, priority boarding, free United Club passes) are also nice. The sign-up bonus is currently 60,000 miles after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months via our referral link, which is good enough for two round-trip flights to Walt Disney World.
Honestly, we are not huge on airline-specific credit cards. We each hold 1-2 for the perks, but we typically do not use airline co-branded credit cards to earn miles. It’s a similar idea to the Disney Visa. Instead, we use the Chase Sapphire and Ink plus the Amex Platinum and transfer those points to partner airline portals. As always, your mileage may vary.
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card
The next few cards are airline and hotel loyalty ones that we think will most benefit Disney travelers. The Southwest card is our airline pick for a few reasons. First, we know Southwest is the most popular airline for Walt Disney World and Disneyland fans (it’s a popular and convenient carrier at both MCO and SNA).
Second, this card makes earning and redeeming points easier than most other airline-specific cards. Third, since Southwest Airlines pulled a page from the Bob Chapek playbook and made several guest-unfriendly changes, the credit cards are the best and easiest way to get a free checked bag, standard seat selection, boarding benefit, and more.
For most Disney travelers, the Southwest card is the best airline-specific option. The $99 annual fee might sting a bit, but you receive a 3,000-mile anniversary bonus each year. Standard point rate is 1 point for every $1 spent, except Southwest purchases, which earn at a 2:1 rate.
There are also no foreign transaction fees, and the ability to earn a Southwest Companion Pass (see our Guide to the Southwest Companion Pass for how to score this for almost 2 full years with a dual credit card hack) with a mileage boost. Currently, you can receive a sign-up bonus of 100,000 points in rewards dollars after spending $4,000 within the first 5 months with our referral link.
World of Hyatt Credit Card
Hyatt is our favorite hotel chain in the world (more so than Hilton, Marriott–or even Disney), and we stay at their various brands whenever and wherever possible. We especially love the Park Hyatt Kyoto and Park Hyatt Tokyo for Japan trips, and those are good uses of Chase Ultimate Rewards point transfers. If you travel internationally, there are incredible Hyatts in the cities near all of the other Disney Parks (Paris, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Tokyo).
There are no Hyatts on-site at Walt Disney World, but the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress is a wonderful resort that’s only ~5 minutes from Walt Disney World (a cheap Uber ride). At Disneyland, there are actually 3 hotels within walking distance–Hyatt Place Anaheim, Hyatt House Anaheim, and Hyatt Regency Orange County.
With the current sign-up bonus, you earn 2 free nights at any Category 1–4 Hyatt hotel or resort after spending $4,000 in your first 3 months of account opening. Plus, earn 25,000 Bonus Points after spending $12,000 in your first 6 months of account opening. This limited-time offer ends August 28, 2025.
BankAmericard Travel Rewards Credit Card
Okay, let’s say you want to pay no annual fee at all. This is pretty common sentiment, and we can respect not wanting to spend money on credit cards. However, we would caution against being anti-annual fee before doing the math to see if the benefits (based on your spending habits) don’t offset the fee. In any case, if this describes you, this card offers a moderately good reward rate, good redemption options, and a decent sign-up bonus.
The BankAmericard Travel Rewards card earns a flat 1.5 points on every $1 spent. It’s that flat 1.5 rate that makes this card our ultimate recommendation for the “no fee” category. Points can be redeemed as a statement credit for travel purchases. If you have a Bank of America account, you receive a 10% bonus; if you’re a Preferred Rewards client, that bonus is up to 75%.
Okay, that covers it for our summary of the best credit cards for travel (with an emphasis on Disney travel). Note that none of these credit cards are not one-size fits all. Our primary airline and hotel-specific cards are for Delta, United, Marriott and Hyatt, but those are just what happen to work best for us.
Also, travel cards are not the same as primary, everyday use credit cards–you should look to different cards for that. That’s a whole other topic, and one that is not relevant to this blog. There are also a couple other credit cards that are tangentially good for Disney travel if you’re taking advantage of the hacks in our Money-Saving Tips for Buying Disney Gift Cards post.
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
Your Thoughts
What’s your favorite credit card for Disney? Do you prefer paying a high annual fee and receiving better perks and rewards, or staying fee-free? Do you agree or disagree with our advice? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
