25,000 online bonus points
Occasional travelers who want a simple no-fee travel card with no foreign transaction fees.
The Bank of America Travel Rewards Card is the go-to no-annual-fee travel card for people who already have their money at Bank of America or Merrill Edge. The card earns a flat 1.5 points per dollar on every purchase — nothing fancy — and points cash out as a statement credit against any travel purchase you make, with no blackout dates and no airline restrictions. Book whatever is cheapest and get reimbursed.
Where the card gets genuinely compelling is through the BofA Rewards program (relaunching May 27, 2026 to replace Preferred Rewards). If you keep $30,000 or more in combined Bank of America and Merrill Edge balances, you qualify for Preferred Plus tier and earn 25% more on every purchase — pushing your effective rate to 1.875 points per dollar. At the Preferred Honors tier (formerly Platinum Honors), that jumps to 2.25x. That is a remarkable rate on an annual-fee-free card, and it requires no category management whatsoever.
You should get this card if you already have substantial deposits at Bank of America or Merrill Edge, if you travel occasionally and want the simplicity of booking anywhere without portal restrictions, or if you want a no-fee travel card with a solid intro APR period.
Skip it if you do not have meaningful BofA or Merrill balances — at the base 1.5x rate, the Active Cash and Double Cash both match or beat it. Also skip it if you want to transfer points to airline or hotel loyalty programs; this card has no transfer partners whatsoever. Points are only redeemable as cash credits against travel purchases.
The main pitfall is the Preferred Rewards restructuring happening now. The new BofA Rewards program reduces the Platinum Honors multiplier from 75% to 50% (now called Preferred Honors), which is a meaningful cut for high-balance cardholders who were used to 2.625x. If you are in that bracket, check whether the transition period protections apply to your account. The 90-day spending window for the bonus is generous, but the card's long-term value hinges entirely on where your banking balances sit.
Standard Bank of America application rules apply. No issuer-wide family restrictions comparable to Citi's 48-month rule. BofA Rewards program (replacing Preferred Rewards effective May 27, 2026) restructures the earning multiplier tiers — former Gold and Platinum members move to Preferred Plus (25% bonus); former Platinum Honors members move to Preferred Honors (50% bonus, down from 75%). Former Diamond Honors members move to Premier (75% bonus). A 6-month transition period maintains current benefit levels.
Cashback Match — all cash back doubled at end of year 1
Annual Fee: $0
175,000 Membership Rewards points
Annual Fee: $895
150,000 bonus points (limited time)
Annual Fee: $795
Cashback Match end of first year
Annual Fee: $0
$150 cash back (15,000 points)
Annual Fee: $0
No welcome bonus
Annual Fee: $0 first year, then $99
Miles Match — all miles doubled at end of year 1
Annual Fee: $0
100,000 Membership Rewards points
Annual Fee: $325
80,000 bonus miles
Annual Fee: $0 intro first year, then $150
70,000 bonus miles
Annual Fee: $0 intro first year, then $150
75,000 American Airlines miles
Annual Fee: $0 intro first year, then $99
80,000 Hilton Honors points
Annual Fee: $0
130,000 Hilton Honors points
Annual Fee: $150
175,000 IHG One Rewards points
Annual Fee: $99
200,000 Membership Rewards points
Annual Fee: $375
Cashback Match at end of first year
Annual Fee: $0
300,000 Membership Rewards points
Annual Fee: $895