Best Credit Cards for Students Who Travel (Updated 2023)

Posted: 10/29/2023 | October 29th, 2023

While I didn’t take my first international trip until after I graduated college (I went to Costa Rica when I was 23), being a college student doesn’t mean you have to skip out on travel. From studying abroad to gap years to spring break trips, there are a lot of ways to travel while in school.

However, students usually don’t have a lot of money which makes affording trips abroad challenging.

Fortunately, there are lots of ways to save for a trip on a budget. One of the best ways to do this is by getting a rewards credit card.

Since students don’t have a credit history and may not have an income yet, it will be hard to get approved for the travel credit cards with the most rewards.

The good news is that banks know this, and many have created cards specifically designed for students. These are easier to get approved for (banks don’t expect you to have a credit history as a student), so that you can start building credit and using those rewards to help you travel for cheap!

Here’s my list of the best credit cards for students:

MY TOP PICK: Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card

Capital One has some of the best travel credit cards out there, and they offer several fantastic student options too. This card has several bonus categories in which you can earn even more for your purchases, including 3% cash back on dining and grocery purchases, and a stellar 10% cash back on Uber and Uber Eats. It also has no foreign transaction fees, no annual fee, and even offers travel accident insurance. This is a really comprehensive student card and my top pick.

Here’s a look at the main benefits of the card:

• A one-time $50 USD cash bonus once you spend $100 USD on purchases within three months
• 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services, and grocery stores
• 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases
• 10% cash back on purchases on Uber and Uber Eats
• Uber One monthly membership fee covered through November 14, 2024
• Travel accident insurance
• No foreign transaction fees
• No annual fee

 
If you want a more straightforward card, Capital One also offers the card_name. It offers nearly all the same benefits, except instead of the different bonus categories, you’ll get an unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases. The Quicksilver also comes in a secured version if you can’t get…