Feature Image by Square

If treating yourself to a much-needed vay-k is on your agenda for the year (and it should be), then a good travel rewards credit card can help you in a lot of different ways. But with so many different credit cards to choose from, how do you know which one is right for you?

Well, we talked to Sara Rathner, a credit card expert at NerdWallet, about the benefits of getting a travel rewards credit card, what you need to consider before applying for one, and the best options out there today.

“With travel rewards credit cards, your spending will earn points or miles that you can later redeem to offset the cost of travel expenses like airfare, hotel stays, and car rentals,” Rathner says. “In general, you’ll want to apply for a travel card about five months before you book travel so you have time to earn the points first. There are also some factors to consider, such as the work you’ll have to put in, the value you can get out of your points, and whether the perks offset the annual fee.”

Check out Rathner’s top three card recommendations below.

Capital One Venture

According to Rathner, this is a good starter card because it’s easy to redeem points. Just use the card’s Purchase Eraser function, which lets you use your points to reimburse yourself for travel expenses. The card offers unlimited rewards on every purchase, and new cardholders earn 50,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first three months of opening an account.

Chase Sapphire Preferred

“Travel rewards points are worth an average of one cent each, [but] they’re worth even more with some cards,” Rathner says. This card is a favorite among travelers because points are worth 1.25 cents each when you redeem them for travel. You can also earn 60,000 bonus points within the first three months of opening an account. If you redeem that through Chase Ultimate Rewards, you can get about $750 towards travel.

Chase Sapphire Reserve

With the Chase Sapphire Reserve, your points are worth 1.5 cents each when redeemed for travel. “You can transfer points from other Chase cards that earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points so you can maximize their value and redeem at a higher rate,” Rathner says. Cardholders also receive up to $300 a year in statement credits as reimbursements for travel purchases.

Now, before you get too excited, there are a few important things to know before applying for a travel rewards card. For one, it isn’t for everyone. In fact, many travel rewards cards do charge an annual fee. But as Rathner says, “You can offset that fee if you take advantage of perks like reimbursements for Global Entry or TSA Precheck, free access to airport lounges, or annual statement credits for travel expenses.”

If you have some credit card debt already, it’s also in your best interest to pay that off first. “The value of any rewards you’d earn would be wiped out by interest payments,” says Rathner. If you are debt-free but don’t travel often, you may get more out of a cash-back credit card like the American Express Blue Cash Everyday Card. You can earn cash-back from whatever you spent during your travels. Overall, the key here is to do your research and pick a card that fits with your particular financial situation.

xx, The FabFitFun Team

Now that you have the travel credit card, where should you go? Here’s your ideal travel destination, according to your zodiac sign.