Travel rewards
Bank of America Travel Rewards Card: A No-Annual-Fee Guide to Rewards, Fees, and Who It's Best For
A flat 1.5 points per dollar on every purchase, no annual fee, and no foreign transaction fees make this one of the simplest travel cards to actually use.
Updated for 2026 · Page 1 of 1
Chasing rotating bonus categories, tracking quarterly caps, or paying an annual fee just to earn travel points is a real barrier for a lot of would-be travel-card users — many people just want a card that earns a solid, predictable rate on everything they buy without homework. The Bank of America Travel Rewards card is built around that exact problem: a single flat earn rate on every purchase, no annual fee, and no foreign transaction fee, which makes it one of the more straightforward travel cards on the market.
This is an independent, third-party guide. It is not published by Bank of America, and it is not the issuer's official application page. Nothing here should be read as an offer, and the content is meant to help you understand how the card works before you decide whether to apply directly with the issuer.
Card terms — annual fees, bonus categories, welcome offers, and interest rates — change often and can vary by applicant. The details below reflect publicly available information verified as of the 2025-2026 period, but issuers can and do adjust offers with little notice. Always confirm the current annual fee, welcome bonus, and APR on Bank of America's own product page before applying.
Below, we break down how the rewards actually work, what the card costs (and doesn't cost) to carry, who tends to get the most value from it, how it stacks up against other no-annual-fee travel cards, and the details that are easy to overlook, like the credit score it typically requires.
How Rewards Work on the Bank of America Travel Rewards Card
The card's core offer is simple: unlimited 1.5 points per $1 spent on every purchase, with no rotating categories, no enrollment steps, and no annual cap to worry about. Purchases made through the Bank of America Travel Center — flights, hotels, rental cars, and similar bookings — earn a higher 3 points per $1 instead.
Points don't expire as long as the account stays open, and there's no ceiling on how many you can accumulate. The card also uses a broader-than-usual definition of "travel" for redemption purposes, covering things like amusement parks, zoos, aquariums, and other experiences that stricter travel cards wouldn't count.
Anyone enrolled in Bank of America's Preferred Rewards program can boost these rates further. Depending on tier, Preferred Rewards members earn 25% to 75% more points on every purchase, which can push the effective earn rate as high as roughly 2.6 points per $1 for top-tier Diamond or Platinum Honors members — a meaningful bump for people who already bank with Bank of America or Merrill.
Fees, APR, and the Welcome Bonus
There is no annual fee on this card, and it doesn't charge foreign transaction fees either, which is notable for a card in this price tier and makes it usable abroad without an added surcharge on every purchase.
New cardholders can earn 25,000 online bonus points after spending at least $1,000 in purchases within the first 90 days of account opening — redeemable for roughly $250 in travel or dining statement credit. The card also carries a 0% introductory APR on purchases for the first 15 billing cycles, and 0% on balance transfers made within the first 60 days for that same 15-cycle window. After the intro period ends, a variable APR in the high-teens to high-20s percent range applies, so this isn't a card to carry a balance on long-term once the promotional period expires.
Redemptions work as a statement credit: you make an eligible travel or dining purchase, then redeem points to offset it at a value of about 1 cent per point (a minimum of 2,500 points is required to redeem). There are no blackout dates and no restrictions on which airline or hotel you book with, since you're simply erasing the charge after the fact rather than booking through a portal.
Who This Card Is Best For
This card fits people who want a simple, predictable way to earn travel rewards on everyday spending without tracking bonus categories, paying an annual fee, or worrying about foreign transaction fees on trips abroad. It's a natural fit for occasional-to-moderate travelers who'd rather earn a flat rate on groceries, gas, and streaming bills than optimize a complicated points strategy.
It's also a strong option for existing Bank of America or Merrill customers, since Preferred Rewards tiers meaningfully increase the earn rate for free — something a non-customer can't access. And because approval odds skew toward applicants with strong credit, it tends to work best as a second or third card for someone who already has an established credit history rather than a first card for someone just starting out.
It's a weaker fit for frequent flyers who want airline-specific perks (lounge access, free checked bags, elite-qualifying miles) or for big spenders who could out-earn the flat 1.5x rate with a card that offers higher rewards on specific categories like dining or groceries.
How It Compares to Other Travel Cards
Against other no-annual-fee travel cards, the Bank of America Travel Rewards card holds up well on simplicity: a flat 1.5x rate (uncapped) and no foreign transaction fee are competitive baseline terms, and the redemption process (statement credit against any travel purchase, no blackout dates) is easier to use than a fixed-value travel portal with limited partners.
Where it tends to fall short of premium travel cards — including Bank of America's own Premium Rewards card, which carries an annual fee — is on bonus categories and added travel perks. Cards with an annual fee often bundle in airport lounge access, travel credits, or higher category-specific earn rates (dining, groceries, gas) that can outpace a flat 1.5x return for people who spend heavily in those areas.
The welcome bonus is also comparatively modest next to some competing no-fee travel cards, which sometimes offer larger point bundles or a longer 0% intro APR window. For someone comparing options, the trade-off is essentially simplicity and zero fees versus a potentially higher return from a more complex, category-based card.
Downsides and Watch-Outs
The flat 1.5x rate, while simple, is not the highest available on a no-annual-fee travel card — cardholders who spend heavily in specific categories (dining, groceries, gas) may find a category-based card earns more overall, even with more complexity to manage.
The strongest version of this card requires being a Preferred Rewards member, which itself requires maintaining a qualifying balance across Bank of America and Merrill accounts. Without that relationship, cardholders are capped at the base 1.5x/3x rates.
The card's approval bar also skews toward excellent credit (commonly cited around a 750+ FICO score), so applicants with fair or average credit are less likely to be approved and may want to consider a card with a lower stated credit requirement instead.
Frequently asked questions
- Does the Bank of America Travel Rewards card have an annual fee?
- No. The card carries no annual fee, and it also doesn't charge foreign transaction fees, which makes it usable for international purchases without an added cost.
- How many points do you earn per dollar?
- You earn an unlimited 1.5 points per $1 on every purchase, with no rotating categories to track. Purchases booked through the Bank of America Travel Center earn 3 points per $1 instead.
- What credit score do you need to get approved?
- This card generally targets applicants with excellent credit, commonly cited around a 750+ FICO score, though income, existing debt, and overall credit history also factor into approval decisions.
- How do you redeem Bank of America Travel Rewards points?
- Points redeem as a statement credit against eligible travel or dining purchases you've already made, generally at a value of about 1 cent per point, with a 2,500-point minimum. There are no blackout dates since you're not booking through a fixed portal.
- Is there an introductory APR offer?
- Yes. The card offers 0% intro APR for the first 15 billing cycles on purchases, and 0% on balance transfers made within the first 60 days for that same period. After that, a variable APR applies, so carrying a balance long-term isn't the intended use of the intro offer.
Advertiser disclosure: general information only, not financial advice. Confirm current terms on the issuer's official site before applying.