If you are planning a USA to Pakistan or Europe trip ($1,500+), then with the right travel credit card you can:
✓ Get 40% cheaper flights
✓ Get free food in airport lounge
✓ Get hotel upgrades ($200 value) for free
5 Superpowers of Travel Card (2025)
- Welcome Bonus:
Sign-up points equal to $750+ (e.g., Chase Sapphire: 75,000 pts = $750) - Zero Foreign Fees:
No extra charge of 3% on USA/USA shopping - Free Lounge Access:
Save $50/entry at airports like JFK/LAX - Travel Insurance:
Is the flight cancelled? $500 compensation Will auto-return - Hotel Upgrades:
Free suite upgrade ($300 value) in Hilton/Marriott
USA’s Top 5 Cards (2025)
, Card | Best For | Annual Fee Top Perk |
,
, Chase Sapphire Preferred® | Frequent flyers $95 | 80,000 pts = $1,000 flight |
, Capital One Venture X Luxury travel | $395 | Free Priority Pass (1000+ lounges).
, Amex Gold | Foodies | $250 | Uber $120/year credit |
, Citi Premier® | Budget travelers | $95 | 3x points supermarkets ($300/month).
, Bank of America Travel Rewards Students | $0 | No credit history required.
How to choose a card for yourself?
- 2-3 trips every year? → Chase Sapphire ($95 fee worth it)
- Purchase more food? → Amex Gold (4x points restaurants)
- Low credit score? → Bank of America (580+ score)
Halal Option? → Umar Islamic Card (0% APR, no haram rewards)
How to use points better?
- Transfer Partners:
Chase points → United Airlines (1pt = 2¢ value) - Travel Portal:
Book from Capital One portal → 25% more value - Stack Offers:
Amex + Rakuten = 10x points on Amazon - Avoid Cash Redemption:
It is better to take a $300 flight than taking $100 cash!
Real US Example:
Elijah (Software Engineer):
- Card: Chase Sapphire Reserve ($550 fee)
- Expenses: $4,000/3 months (regular spending)
Mile:
✓ Free Qatar business class ticket ($5,000 value)
✓ 4 free hotel nights in Istanbul ($1,200)
✓ Free meals in LAX lounge ($200)
Total Savings: $6,950 – $550 fee = $6,400 net Savings!
Never make these 3 mistakes:
- Forgetting the Annual Fee:
Pay $395 fee when you are getting $800+ benefits - Losing Money on Interest:
Carrying Balance at 24% APR → $240 extra/$1,000 - Not completing the Bonus Spend:
Not completing the “$4,000 in 3 months” target, missing 80,000 points!
Method to Apply
- Check your Credit Score:
Check it for free on Credit Karma app (700+ for premium cards) - Check Pre-Approval:
“Check Eligibility” on Card website - Apply Online:
Upload SSN + Income Proof (W-2) + ID
Pro Tip: Do not apply for 3 cards at once – credit score will fall!
Conclusion
“A good travel card is as important as a passport!”
These cards for 2025 will:
- help you make Hajj/Umrah ($3,000) trip cheaper
- make Desi family visits comfortable
- make your dream of traveling the world come true