Using the right credit card to book your mountain getaway or beach vacation on Airbnb or VRBO can turn every dollar you spend on your trip into benefits you can use on your next adventure. Taking advantage of your credit card's perks can elevate your travel experience and save you money. This guide will help you unlock the rewards that will provide you with more adventures and unforgettable stays.
What Makes a Good Credit Card for Booking Stays at Airbnb and Vrbo?
When choosing the best credit card to book Airbnb and VRBO stays, you should consider factors like rewards for travel or everyday spending, travel discounts and protections such as trip cancellation insurance. Continue reading to learn about the best credit cards for booking Airbnb and VRBO stays.
Chase Sapphire Reserve
The Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card is among the most flexible travel credit cards. With its introductory offer, you earn 60,000 Bonus Points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months after opening your account.
The card also offers Priority Pass Select membership, giving you access to participating airport lounges in the Priority Pass Select network. You’ll also get a statement credit for up to $120 every four years after application fees for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or NEXUS are applied to your Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card.
In addition, you will receive 12 months of complimentary DashPass to use on DoorDash and Caviar applications. You’ll get $5 in DoorDash or Caviar credits each month while enrolled in Chase Sapphire Reserve or J.P. Morgan Reserve complimentary DashPass membership.
Through Chase Sapphire Reserve’s The Edit program, members are eligible for benefits such as tour operator or wholesaler rates and packages and free WiFi when booking reservations through Chase Travel.
Why We Picked It: Chase Sapphire Reserve offers a $300 annual travel credit that can be used toward stays at Airbnb and VRBO rentals, which helps to offset the $550 annual fee.
Chase Sapphire Preferred
Like the Chase Sapphire Reserve, the Chase Sapphire Preferred offers 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months after you open your account. The card also provides a $50 annual Chase Travel hotel credit for rooms booked through Chase Travel.
If you’re redeeming points for cash, each one is worth one cent, so 100 points gives you $1. But if you redeem your points for travel booked through Chase Travel, each one is worth 1.25 cents, so every 100 points is worth $1.25 in redemption value. That 60,000 points earned in the first three months is worth $750 when used for travel and $600 if redeemed for cash.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred card gives cardholders a complimentary DashPass for use on the DoorDash and Caviar apps during the first 12 months. You’ll also get a $10 monthly discount on checkout at one qualifying nonrestaurant order on DoorDash as long as you remain enrolled in the Chase Sapphire or Sapphire Preferred DashPass membership.
Why We Picked It: The Chase Sapphire Preferred card offers many of the same benefits as the Reserve card, but with a considerably lower annual fee of $95.
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
You’ll get 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of opening the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card.
As a Capital One Venture X Rewards cardholder, you’ll enjoy complimentary access to Capital One Lounge locations, which offer healthy chef-inspired food you can eat in the lounge or take to go. Amenities include relaxation and fitness rooms, shower suites and workspaces. More than 1,300 lounges through Capital One and its network of partners are available at airports such as Dallas-Fort Worth, Denver and Washington, D.C.
If you book your flight when Capital One suggests you should and the price drops within 10 days, you’ll get up to $50 in travel credit. If you find a better price, alert Capital One within 24 hours and it will give you a travel credit for the difference.
You’ll receive a $300 annual travel credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, which helps to offset the $395 annual fee. You’ll also get 10,000 bonus miles each year starting on your first anniversary – equal to $100 for travel.
Cardholders also have access to exclusive reservations at award-winning restaurants. Capital One also provides cardholders with access to pre-sales and tickets to music and sporting events.
Why We Picked It: If you pay your cellphone bill with your Venture X card, Capital One will reimburse you up to $800 if it’s stolen or damaged.
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Like the Capital One Venture X card, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card offers 75,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months of opening your account.
You’ll earn just five miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars, compared to 10 miles with the Venture X card, but the Rewards card’s $95 annual fee is significantly less than the $395 for the Venture X.
Capital One Venture Rewards gives cardholders 2X miles per dollar on everyday purchases – if you spend $3,000 per month, you could earn 72,000 miles per year, a $720 value.
This one also offers the benefit of a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, as well as a
Cardholders give the card 4.6 stars, citing various reasons, from catching fraudulent charges to no foreign transaction fees.
“I had a specific airline credit card prior to this, and it was difficult to book air reward miles because of blackout dates or finding a reward flight that coincided with a full-fare flight that I needed for my family,” one cardmember wrote. “The companion fare was nice, but the card cost more per year than Capital One and I didn’t earn miles as quickly.”
Another cardholder said they’d upgraded to Venture X because of better benefits, such as access to airport lounges.
“The free yearly passes to the lounges went away on this card,” the cardholder wrote.
Why We Picked It: This card offers a straightforward rewards system, earning miles on all purchases that you can redeem for travel, including Airbnb and VRBO.
American Express Green Card
With the American Express Green Card’s introductory offer, you earn 40,000 membership rewards points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership.
After you pay for it with your American Express credit card, you also receive a $199 Clear Plus credit. Clear Plus helps you reach your gate faster at more than 50 airports nationwide.
You’ll earn 3X membership rewards points at restaurants worldwide and on transit, including trains, taxis, rideshare services, ferries, tolls, parking, buses and subways. The card also gives you 3X points on travel, including flights, hotels, tours, campgrounds and vacation rentals.
Other purchases earn 1X points.
American Express also offers access to presale tickets for select events when purchased using your American Express credit card.
Why We Picked It: This card earns bonus points on travel purchases, including Airbnb.
Citi Double Cash Card
Although you won’t earn cash back, the Citi Double Cash Card offers a low introductory annual percentage rate on balance transfers with no annual fee, provided you make the transfer within four months of opening your account. You’ll have to pay a balance transfer fee of 3% for a minimum of $5 for each balance transfer.
You also earn ThankYou Points at a rate of one point per $1 spent on purchases. Additionally, you’ll receive 3% cash back on hotels, car rentals and attractions booked through the Citi Travel Portal until Dec. 31, 2025. The amount of cash back you can earn with the Citi Double Cash Card is unlimited, and it doesn’t have any restricting categories to keep track of.
Your points don’t expire as long as you keep your account open. If you close your account or switch to another Citi credit card that doesn’t offer ThankYou Points, you have 90 days to use your points.
With the Citi Double Cash card, it’s easy to redeem your ThankYou Points as a direct deposit into your checking or savings account, as a statement credit or by receiving a check by mail if you have at least $5 to get back.
Why We Picked It: You earn $200 cash back after spending $1,500 on purchases within the first six months of opening your account.
Prime Visa
If you’re a frequent Amazon shopper, the company’s Prime Visa may be the way to go. With an eligible Prime membership, you’ll earn unlimited 5% cash back on your Amazon.com purchases. With an eligible Prime membership, you’ll also get 5% cash back at Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods Market online or in-store. And if you book travel through Chase Travel, you’ll also get 5% cash back.
With the Prime Visa, you’ll earn 2% cash back at gas stations, restaurants and local transit and commuting, including rideshares. All other purchases on the card will get you 1% cash back.
The credit card’s other benefits include auto rental coverage, baggage delay insurance, extended warranty protection, lost luggage reimbursement, roadside assistance, travel accident insurance and purchase protection.
Why We Picked It: You’ll get a $100 Amazon Gift Card once approved for a Prime Visa credit card. Plus, there are no annual credit card fees or foreign transaction fees.
American Express Platinum Card
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The $695 annual fee for the American Express Platinum Card is steep, but you get some incredible benefits that may balance out the cost if you use them.
When you enroll in Priority Pass Select, you can enjoy the American Express Global Lounge Collection – a $500 value. It gives you access to more than 1,400 airport lounges in 650 cities across 140 countries. You’ll have access to Lufthansa, Plaza Premium and Escape lounges, the Centurion Network and Delta Sky Club.
You’ll pay another $200 of the annual fee with a statement credit for booking select prepaid hotels through American Express Travel using your Platinum card. You’ll have more than 2,600 hotels to choose from. Each booking includes benefits such as a room upgrade at check-in, when available, and a complimentary credit of $100 for food and beverage, spa or other on-property services.
And if you like shopping at luxury stores, you’ll get up to $100 in statement credits per year for purchases at Saks Fifth Avenue or saks.com.
Why We Picked It: You’ll earn 5X points on flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express travel on up to $500,000 per year.
How We Chose These Credit Cards for Booking Stays at Airbnb and Vrbo
We prioritized cards that recognize Airbnb and VRBO as travel purchases to ensure you earn bonus rewards and can use travel credits for your bookings. We also considered each card's annual fees and weighed them against potential benefits because a high annual fee is only worthwhile if the perks offset the cost. We also considered perks like airport lounge access, travel insurance and purchase protection that enhance the card's overall value.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which card is best for Airbnb?
The Chase Sapphire Reserve card’s $300 annual travel credit can be used toward Airbnb stays, which offsets a big chunk of its annual fee. Luxury perks include airport lounge access and travel insurance.
Do any credit cards offer discounts on Airbnb?
Both the Capital One Venture X Rewards and Capital One Venture Rewards credit cards allow you to redeem miles earned on them as a statement credit to cover travel expenses, including Airbnb.
Is Airbnb considered travel for credit cards?
In most cases, Airbnb is considered travel for credit card purposes, and many cards include the lodging option in their definition of travel purchases.