What Bank of America Travel Cards Do
Bank of America offers three travel credit cards, each designed around a different spending pattern and travel style. The Bank of America Travel Rewards Card gives a flat rate on all purchases. The Bank of America Premium Rewards Card earns more on travel and dining but requires an annual fee. The Bank of America Alaska Airlines Card is built for people who fly Alaska Airlines regularly or live in the Pacific Northwest.
All three cards earn points that you redeem for travel — flights, hotels, rental cars, or cash back. None of them require you to book through a specific portal, though Bank of America does run one. You can also transfer points to airline and hotel partners, though the conversion rates vary. The cards differ mainly in how much you earn per dollar spent, what that costs you annually, and what perks come with the card itself.
Key Takeaways
- The Travel Rewards Card earns 1.5 points per dollar on all purchases with no annual fee, making it the simplest option if you don't spend heavily on travel or dining.
- The Premium Rewards Card earns 2 points per dollar on travel and dining and 1.5 points elsewhere, but costs $95 per year, so you need to spend enough to make that fee worthwhile.
- The Alaska Airlines Card earns 3 points per dollar on Alaska Airlines purchases and 1 point elsewhere, plus an annual free flight, but only makes sense if you actually fly Alaska regularly.
- All three cards let you redeem points for any travel expense or cash back, not just flights, and you can transfer points to partner airlines and hotels at varying rates.
- Bank of America's travel cards do not offer trip insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, or other travel protections that some competitor cards include.
The Travel Rewards Card: No Annual Fee, Flat Earning Rate
The Travel Rewards Card earns 1.5 points per dollar on every purchase — groceries, gas, restaurants, travel, everything. You pay no annual fee. The card is straightforward: you spend, you earn, you redeem for travel or cash back at a rate of 1 point per $1 of travel booked or 1 point per $1 cash back.
This card works best if you spend under $5,000 to $7,000 per year on travel and dining combined. Below that threshold, the flat rate and zero fee beat the Premium Rewards Card even though Premium earns more on those categories. If you travel infrequently or book budget flights and hotels, this card keeps you from paying for perks you won't use.
The card also comes with no sign-up bonus, which is unusual among travel cards. You start earning when ready at the 1.5x rate, but you don't get a lump of points for opening the account.
The Premium Rewards Card: Higher Earning, Annual Fee Required
The Premium Rewards Card earns 2 points per dollar on travel purchases and dining, and 1.5 points per dollar on everything else. It costs $95 per year. To break even on the fee, you need to earn at least $95 in extra value from the higher earning rates compared to the Travel Rewards Card.
The math works like this: on travel and dining, Premium earns 0.5 extra points per dollar compared to Travel Rewards. If you spend $19,000 per year on travel and dining, that's 9,500 extra points, which Bank of America values at $95 when redeemed as cash back. Spend less than that, and you're paying for points you don't earn enough of to cover the fee. Spend more, and the card pays for itself.
The Premium Rewards Card also comes with a sign-up bonus — typically 50,000 bonus points after you spend a certain amount in the first few months. That bonus is worth roughly $500 to $750 in travel value, depending on how you redeem. Check the current offer when you look at the card, because sign-up bonuses change.
The Alaska Airlines Card: Built for Frequent Alaska Flyers
The Alaska Airlines Card earns 3 points per dollar on Alaska Airlines purchases, 1 point per dollar on everything else, and costs $75 per year. It also includes an annual free companion ticket on Alaska Airlines — a ticket that lets a second person fly free when you buy a ticket at full price. That companion ticket alone is worth $150 to $300 depending on the route, which covers most or all of the annual fee for people who fly Alaska at least once a year.
This card makes sense only if you fly Alaska Airlines multiple times per year or live somewhere Alaska serves heavily — the Pacific Northwest, California, Hawaii, and Alaska itself. If you fly Alaska once a year and other carriers the rest of the time, the companion ticket covers the fee, but you're not maximizing the 3x earning rate. If you don't fly Alaska at all, this card costs you money for a benefit you can't use.
The Alaska Airlines Card also comes with a sign-up bonus, usually 40,000 bonus miles after you meet a spending threshold. Those miles can be redeemed for Alaska flights or transferred to partner airlines, though the transfer value is typically lower than redeeming for Alaska flights directly.
How to Redeem Points and What They're Worth
All three cards let you redeem points through Bank of America's travel portal, which shows flights, hotels, rental cars, and vacation packages. You can also redeem points as cash back at a rate of 1 point per $1, or transfer them to airline and hotel partners. The portal redemption rate is usually the same as cash back — 1 point per $1 of travel cost — so there's no advantage to booking through the portal versus paying out of pocket and redeeming for cash back.
The real value comes from transferring points to partners. Some transfers are worth more than 1 point per $1 of travel — for example, transferring to certain airline partners during promotions. Other transfers are worth less. Bank of America publishes the transfer rates on its website, and they change. Before you transfer, check what your points are worth to the specific airline or hotel you want to use.
If you're not sure which redemption method is best, redeem as cash back. It's the simplest, and it's never the worst option — it's just not always the best one.
What These Cards Don't Include
Bank of America's travel cards do not come with trip cancellation insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, travel accident insurance, or emergency medical coverage abroad. Some competitor travel cards from American Express, Chase, and Citi include these protections. If you travel internationally or book expensive trips, those protections matter — they can save you thousands if your flight is cancelled and you need to rebook, or if your luggage is lost and you need to replace clothes and toiletries when ready.
The cards also don't include lounge access, priority boarding, or other airline perks. You get the points and the earning rates; you don't get status or special treatment at the airport. If those perks are important to you, look at cards from the airlines themselves or premium cards from other issuers.
Comparing Bank of America Travel Cards to Each Other
| Card | Annual Fee | Earning Rate (Travel/Dining) | Earning Rate (Other) | Sign-Up Bonus | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Travel Rewards | $0 | 1.5x | 1.5x | None | Low to moderate travel spending, no annual fee preference |
| Premium Rewards | $95 | 2x | 1.5x | 50,000 points | $19,000+ annual travel and dining spend |
| Alaska Airlines | $75 | 3x (Alaska only) | 1x | 40,000 miles | Frequent Alaska Airlines flyers |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use these cards outside the United States?
Yes, all three cards work internationally and earn points on foreign purchases. Bank of America charges a 3% foreign transaction fee on purchases made outside the US, which is standard for most US credit cards. The points you earn are not reduced by this fee — you earn the full rate and pay the 3% fee on top of the purchase amount.
Do I need to set up travel protections or register my trip?
No, because these cards don't include travel protections like trip cancellation insurance or lost luggage coverage. You don't need to register trips or set up anything. You straightforward earn points and redeem them.
What happens to my points if I close the card?
Your points stay in your Bank of America rewards account and don't disappear when you close the card. You can continue to redeem them after the account is closed. However, if you close the card and don't have another Bank of America rewards card, your account may eventually be closed if inactive, so check Bank of America's policy on point expiration.
Can I transfer points between Bank of America cards?
Yes, if you have multiple Bank of America rewards cards, you can combine points in one account. This is useful if you're deciding between cards or if you want to consolidate points to reach a redemption threshold faster.
Are there better travel cards from other banks?
That depends on your spending and travel style. American Express, Chase, and Citi all offer travel cards with higher earning rates, sign-up bonuses, and travel protections that Bank of America cards don't include. Compare the annual fee, earning rates, and perks against your own travel plans before deciding.