It’s no secret that the top luxury credit cards feature the best benefits. The problem is, you have to pay hundreds of dollars a year for these cards. That’s a big commitment.
A massive annual fee can be worth paying when you value the card’s perk far more than the upfront cost. But there is a simpler (and cheaper) path to perks like airport lounge access and travel protections. Several no-annual-fee credit cards offer key perks without committing to a high annual fee.
5 luxury benefits with no annual fee
Do you have a credit card or travel rewards question?
Senior reporterJason Stauffercan answer your questions about how to make the most of your credit cards in his weekly Points Pro column. Submit yours here.
Airport lounge access
Airport lounge access is a headline-grabbing benefit, but I’ve found its value to be hit or miss. The best lounges are crowded at peak times, and the lounges aren’t always conveniently located.
Rather than pay for a perk you may not get full value from, consider the U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature Card. You can enroll to receive a Priority Pass membership with four complimentary lounge visits per year ($35 per person per additional visit). This isn’t as good as the unlimited fee-free access you’ll get with most premium cards, but you can use these visits for credit at Priority Pass partner restaurants and non-lounge experiences, which most other card issuers exclude.
You can also get lounge access with this card’s SmartDelay benefit. Register your flights, and you and up to three travel companions receive lounge passes for delays of two hours or more.
- Intro APR for balance transfers
- Global Entry and TSA PreCheck® application fee credit
- Limited to four free lounge visits per year
- You cannot transfer points to travel programs
Earn transferable points
The best travel rewards allow transfers to partner airline and hotel loyalty programs, and you can unlock this redemption option with several no-annual-fee travel credit cards. In fact, premium credit cards can be poor options for earning points on purchases. So you may want a more rewarding card for spending even if you plan on having a luxury option as well.
The no-annual-fee Wells Fargo Autograph® Card offers access to all of Wells Fargo’s travel partners at the full transfer ratio you receive with the $95-a-year Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card. Plus, it has an incredible list of 3X bonus categories. You’ll earn 3X points on:
The Wells Fargo Autograph® Card offers generous bonus spending categories and lets you transfer points to airline and hotel partners, which is rare for a credit card with no annual fee.
- Excellent bonus rewards across travel and everyday categories
- Get access to all Wells Fargo transfer partners, including Flying Blue (Air France/KLM) and Virgin Red
- Features an intro APR on purchases
- No foreign transaction fees
- Doesn’t include travel credits or other valuable travel perks
- Lacks key travel protections, such as trip delay reimbursement and trip cancellation/interruption coverage
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select’s editorial staff.
- Apply Nowto take advantage of this offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
- Earn 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months – that’s a $200 cash redemption value.
- Earn unlimited 3X points on the things that really add up – like restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services, and phone plans. Plus, earn 1X points on other purchases.
- $0 annual fee.
- 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases. 18.49%, 24.49%, or 28.49% variable APR thereafter.
- Up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible.
- Redeem your rewards points for travel, gift cards, or statement credits. Or shop at millions of online stores and redeem your rewards when you check out with PayPal.
- Find tickets to top sports and entertainment events, book travel, make dinner reservations and more with your complimentary 24/7 Visa Signature® Concierge.
Balance transfer fee
3% intro for 120 days from account opening, then up to 5%, min: $5
Foreign transaction fee
What makes the Citi Double Cash® Card special is that it sits near the top of its class in several categories. It is an excellent option if you want flat-rate rewards, a balance transfer intro-APR or no annual fee.
- Balance transfers get a long intro APR
- Generous flat-rate cash-back rewards structure
- Earns transferable rewards
- No annual fee
- It has a foreign transaction fee
- Intro APR only applies to balance transfer
- Points transfer ratios are reduced compared to premium cards
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select’s editorial staff.
- Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
- Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time. Plus, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked with Citi Travel.
- Balance Transfer Only Offer: 0% intro APR on Balance Transfers for 18 months. After that, the variable APR will be 17.49% – 27.49%, based on your creditworthiness.
- Balance Transfers do not earn cash back. Intro APR does not apply to purchases.
- If you transfer a balance, interest will be charged on your purchases unless you pay your entire balance (including balance transfers) by the due date each month.
- There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).
Balance transfer fee
There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. A balance transfer fee of 5% of each transfer ($5 minimum) applies if completed after 4 months of account opening.
Foreign transaction fee
Trip delay reimbursement
I’ve had so much success getting hundreds of dollars in food, hotels and rental cars reimbursed through trip delay benefits that I always make sure I have a card with this protection.
Several cards with sub-$100 annual fees have trip delay insurance, but the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card offers similar protection with no annual fee. With this card’s trip delay perk, you can be reimbursed up to $500 per covered traveler when your travel is delayed by more than 12 hours or requires an overnight stay. Eligible expenses include lodging, food and other reasonable expenses.
The Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card has basic benefits and no annual fee, which makes it ideal if you occasionally stay with Marriott and don’t need premium perks.
Rewards
- Earn up to 14X total points for every $1 spent at thousands of hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy® with the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Card.
- Earn 2X points for every $1 spent at grocery stores, rideshare, select food delivery, select streaming, and internet, cable, and phone services.
- Earn 1X point for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
The U.S. Bank Altitude Connect also provides trip delay coverage for delays of 12+ hours or that require an overnight stay. However, it only covers up to $300 per ticket, not per traveler, which is significantly less than what the Bonvoy Bold card offers.
Primary rental car insurance
Rental car insurance is a common card benefit, but many policies are secondary when you’re renting a car in the U.S. With secondary insurance, you’re required to file a claim with your primary insurance provider first.
Having primary rental car insurance with your credit card can easily save you $15 or more a day you could be paying the rental company for damage and theft protection. The Fidelity® Rewards Visa Signature® Card is a great 2% cash-back credit card, and its rental car collision damage waiver covers up to $75,000 for physical damage, theft, vandalism and reasonable towing or loss-of-use fees. That’s the same coverage limit you get with the $795-a-year Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees).
Fidelity® Rewards Visa Signature® Card
Information about the Fidelity® Rewards Visa Signature® Card has been collected independently by CNBC and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of the card prior to publication.
-
Rewards
2% cash back on every eligible net purchase (when deposited into an eligible Fidelity account)
-
Welcome bonus
-
Annual fee
-
Intro APR
-
Regular APR
16.49% to 26.49%based on your creditworthiness
-
Balance transfer fee
Either 5% of the amount of each transfer or $5 minimum, whichever is greater
-
Foreign transaction fee
-
Credit needed
Pros
- Unlimited 2% cash back on all purchases when deposited into an eligible Fidelity account
- No annual fee
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit
Cons
- No welcome bonus
- High credit score required
Trusted traveler program credits
Programs like TSA PreCheck and Global Entry can help alleviate one of the worst things about air travel: waiting in lines. But you have to pay for membership with either program. TSA PreCheck costs up to $85 for a five-year membership and gets you expedited security with 90+ airlines at 200+ airports. Global Entry costs $120 for a five-year membership and comes with expedited customs and immigration processing upon re-entering the U.S. and TSA PreCheck benefits.
The Fidelity Rewards Visa and U.S. Bank Altitude Connect both have a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit of up to $100 every four years. There’s also the PenFed Pathfinder® Rewards Visa Signature® Card, which offers up to $120 in credits for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry applications. It has a $95 annual fee that’s waived for existing PenFed Honors Advantage members, which you can qualify for with military service (active duty, reserve, honorable discharge or retired) or with a qualifying PenFed checking account.
PenFed Pathfinder® Rewards Visa Signature® Card
-
Rewards
3X points on eligible travel categories (4X points for PenFed Honors Advantage members); 1.5X points on all other purchases
-
Welcome bonus
50,000 bonus points when you spend $3,000 in first 90 days from account opening
-
Annual fee
$95, waived for Honors Advantage members
-
Intro APR
Click View More below for offer details*
-
Regular APR
17.99% variable for purchases; 17.99% fixed for balance transfers
-
Balance transfer fee
-
Foreign transaction fee
-
Credit needed
Pros
- Up to $100 in travel fee credits
- Global Entry and TSA PreCheck application fee credit
- Lucrative welcome bonus
- Low APR
Cons
- Must be a PenFed Honors Advantage member to earn 4X points on travel and have the annual fee waived
- Points cannot be transferred to travel partners
*0% introductory APR for 12 months on balance transfers made in the first 60 days after account opening. After that, the APR for the unpaid balance and any new balance transfers will be a non-variable rate of 17.99%. 3% balance transfer fee per transaction. Subject to credit approval. If you take advantage of this balance transfer, you will immediately be charged interest on all purchases made with your credit card unless you pay the entire account balance, including balance transfers, in full each month by the payment due date.
Subscribe to the CNBC Select newsletter!
The CNBC Select Recommends newsletter delivers practical money tips each week along with expert-picked financial product recommendations. Sign up here.
Why trust CNBC Select?
At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every credit card story is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics.
Catch up on CNBC Select’s in-depth coverage ofcredit cards,bankingandmoney, and follow us onTikTok,Facebook,InstagramandXto stay up to date.
Editorial Note: Opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Select editorial staff’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any third party.
About The Author
