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Bank of America Travel Rewards Credit Card – Full Review [2024]

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Jarrod West
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Jarrod West

Senior Content Contributor

439 Published Articles 1 Edited Article

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Boasting a portfolio of over 20 cards, Jarrod has been an expert in the points and miles space for over 6 years. He earns and redeems over 1 million points per year and his work has been featured in o...
Edited by: Kellie Jez
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Kellie Jez

Director of Operations & Compliance

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Kellie’s professional experience has led her to a deep passion for compliance, data reporting, and process improvement. Kellie’s learned the ins and outs of the points and miles world and leads UP’s c...

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Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card

Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card

U.P. Rating
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.
3.5
  • 25,000 points

  • $0

  • 0% Introductory APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases. After the intro APR offer ends, 18.24% - 28.24% variable will apply.

  • Good to Excellent (670-850)

Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card

The Bank of America Travel Rewards card is a great option for those who want an easy way to earn travel rewards without paying an annual fee.

U.P. Rating
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.
3.5

The Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card is a great option for those looking to dip their toe into the world of travel rewards cards, without paying an annual fee.

The card makes earning points and redeeming them for travel super easy for cardholders.

Card Snapshot

Welcome Bonus & Info

  • Earn unlimited 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases, with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees and your points don’t expire.
  • 25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening –  that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases.
  • Use your card to book your trip how and where you want – you’re not limited to specific websites with blackout dates or restrictions.
  • Redeem points for a statement credit to pay for travel or dining purchases, such as flights, hotel stays, car and vacation rentals, baggage fees, and also at restaurants including takeout.
  • 0% Introductory APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the intro APR offer ends, 18.24% – 28.24% Variable APR will apply. A 3% fee applies to all balance transfers made within the first 60 days, and a 4% fee applies thereafter.
  • If you’re a Preferred Rewards member, you can earn 25%-75% more points on every purchase. That means instead of earning an unlimited 1.5 points for every $1, you could earn 1.87-2.62 points for every $1 you spend on purchases.
  • Contactless Cards – The security of a chip card, with the convenience of a tap.
  • This online only offer may not be available if you leave this page or if you visit a Bank of America financial center. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.

Pros

  • 1.5x points per $1 you spend on all purchases
  • No annual fee
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • Boost your rewards rate with the Bank of America Preferred Rewards program

Cons

  • Points are worth a fixed 1 cent per point, so it isn’t possible to get outsized redemptions

Great Card If

  • You’re looking for an easy way to start earning travel rewards
  • You have status in the Bank of America Preferred Rewards program

Don’t Get If

  • You want a card that earns transferable rewards
  • You want a card that offers more benefits

Bank of America Travel Rewards Card — Is It Worth It?

If you are new to the world of travel rewards cards, and you’re looking for a card that offers a simple earning structure and uncomplicated redemptions, along with no annual fee or foreign transaction fees, then the Bank of America Travel Rewards card would likely be worth it for you.

Further, if you’re someone who has status in the Bank of America Preferred Rewards program, then the card would be very worthwhile to you thanks to the 25% to 75% rewards points boost you can earn.

Bank of America Preferred Rewards Boost

As a no-annual-fee card, the Bank of America Travel Rewards card doesn’t offer much in the way of benefits.

But one benefit it does offer that can be quite lucrative to cardholders is the ability to boost your rewards rate through the Bank of America Preferred Rewards program.

If you’re not already familiar, the Bank of America Preferred Rewards program is the bank’s loyalty program that offers added rewards and benefits for those who hold a certain level of assets in their Bank of America deposit accounts and/or Merrill Edge and Merrill Lynch investment balances.

There are quite a few benefits you receive at each elite status tier, but for this post, we will be exclusively focusing on the credit card rewards boost you receive:

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Status LevelAssets RequiredRewards BonusIncreased Earnings
Gold$20,000+ in assets25% rewards bonus1.875x points per $1 spent
Platinum$50,000+ in assets50% rewards bonus2.25x points per $1 spent
Platinum Honors and above$100,000+ in assets75% rewards bonus2.625x per $1 spent

The ability to earn up to 2.625x points per $1 on every purchase that you make is quite exceptional, and quite a bit higher than what you would earn with many other non-bonused cards.

Best Ways To Earn and Redeem Your Bank of America Points

When it comes to earning more points, the best way to do so is by using your card for as many purchases as you can. Further, if you have the ability to achieve a status level in the Bank of America Preferred Rewards program, this is a great way to boost the number of points you will earn by 25% to 75%.

The Bank of America travel portal allows you to redeem your points for any travel-related purchase you can think of, at a set rate of 1 cent per point. This includes flights, hotels, rental cars, and cruises, but also excursions like amusement parks, zoos, and more.

Alternative Card to the Bank of America Travel Rewards Card

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

U.P. Rating
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

This all-purpose cash-back card offers great bonus categories, including bonus points for every purchase you make!

Learn More(at Chase's secure site)

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

This all-purpose cash-back card offers great bonus categories, including bonus points for every purchase you make!
Earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) — worth up to $300 cash back. That's 6.5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 4.5% on dining and drugstores, and 3% on all other purchases.
Up to $300 cash back
$0
0% Intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% - 29.24%.
Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.
Good to Excellent (670-850)

The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is easily one of the best cash-back credit cards on the market. There aren’t many no-annual-fee credit cards that offer multiple great bonus categories like 5% back on travel purchased through Chase, 3% back on dining and drugstore purchases, and 1.5% back on all other purchases.

When paired with other Chase cards in the Ultimate Rewards family, you can transfer that cash back into points if you wish – making it one of the most lucrative cards in your wallet.

Pros

  • 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% - 29.24%.
  • 5% back on travel purchased through Chase Travel
  • 3% back on dining and drugstore purchases
  • 1.5% back on all other purchases
  • No annual fee
  • Earn big on travel purchased through Chase Travel
  • Everyday bonus on dining and drugstores
  • Straightforward cash-back on all other purchases
  • Ability to pool points

Cons

  • 3% foreign transaction fee
  • INTRO OFFER: Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!
  • Enjoy 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 3% on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year).
  • After your first year or $20,000 spent, enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.
  • No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open!
  • Enjoy 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% - 29.24%.
  • No annual fee – You won't have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Unlimited® card
  • Keep tabs on your credit health, Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, alerts, and more.
  • Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

  • APR: 0% Intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% - 29.24%.
  • Foreign Transaction Fees: 3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars

Card Categories

Rewards Center

Chase Ultimate Rewards

An obvious alternative to the Bank of America Travel Rewards card is the Freedom Unlimited card, as it also earns 1.5% all purchases with no annual fee.

However, the Freedom Unlimited card also offers 5% on travel purchased through the Chase travel portal and 3% on dining and at drugstores.

The card also offers flexible redemption options at 1 cent per point towards the Chase travel portal, cash-back, and more. Plus, those with a premium Ultimate Rewards card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card can pool their points together to redeem through one of the Chase transfer partners.


We’ve also compared the Bank of America Travel Rewards card to other popular credit cards:

The information regarding the Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Bank of America Travel Rewards card worth it?

If you’re looking for an uncomplicated way to earn travel rewards, without an annual fee, then yes the Bank of America Travel Rewards card could be worth it to you… even more so if you are in the Bank of America Preferred Rewards program and can earn 25% to 75% more rewards.

Does the Bank of America Travel Rewards card have an annual fee?

No, the Bank of America Travel Rewards card does not charge an annual fee.

Does the Bank of America Travel Rewards card have travel insurance?

No, the Bank of America Travel Rewards card does not offer any sort of travel insurance.

What are the benefits of the Bank of America Travel Rewards card?

The Bank of America Travel Rewards card doesn’t offer many card benefits. However, those who are part of the Bank of America Preferred Rewards program can earn 25% to 75% more points.

Does the Bank of America Travel Rewards card have foreign transaction fees?

No, the Bank of America Travel Rewards card does not charge foreign transaction fees.

Jarrod West's image

About Jarrod West

Boasting a portfolio of over 20 cards, Jarrod has been an expert in the points and miles space for over 6 years. He earns and redeems over 1 million points per year and his work has been featured in outlets like The New York Times.

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