In a Nutshell
Airbnb doesn’t have its own cobranded credit card like some hotels, but there are some credit cards that can help earn and redeem points for Airbnb stays. We’ve rounded up our top picks, comparing features like annual fees, sign-up bonuses and perks.This offer is no longer available on our site: American Express® Green Card
Staying at an Airbnb is a popular lodging alternative to hotels for some travelers.
Whether you’re looking to rent an entire house, apartment or even a treehouse, Airbnb has many different options to choose from. But unlike some hotel chains, Airbnb doesn’t offer its own branded credit card. But there are still some credit cards that can help you maximize your next Airbnb stay.
Let’s take a closer look at our top Airbnb credit card picks.
- Best for premium travel benefits: Chase Sapphire Reserve®
- Best for earning points on travel purchases: American Express® Green Card
- Best for simple redemptions: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
- Best for entry-level travel: Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card
- Best for no annual fee: Citi Double Cash® Card
- How we picked these cards
- How to make the most of credit cards for Airbnb
Best for premium travel benefits: Chase Sapphire Reserve®
Here’s why: The Chase Sapphire Reserve® has a $300 annual travel credit, which you can put toward an Airbnb stay. This Chase credit card offers several premium travel benefits that Airbnb customers may enjoy.
- Global Entry, TSA PreCheck® or Nexus fee credit once every four years
- Access to airport lounges in the Priority Pass Select network
- Trip cancellation/interruption insurance
- Lost luggage reimbursement
- Trip delay reimbursement
- Emergency evacuation and transportation coverage
Additionally, the card offers an 60,000-point sign-up bonus after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening. These perks, along with other benefits this premium card offers, can quickly add up to offset part or all of the card’s hefty $550 annual fee.
Read more about Chase Sapphire Reserve®.
Best for earning points on travel purchases: American Express® Green Card
Here’s why: With the American Express® Green Card, earning points on Airbnb purchases can be rewarding, especially if you stay at Airbnb locations several times throughout the year. Some Airbnb locations charge hundreds or thousands of dollars per night. This American Express credit card earns three points per $1 spent on travel, including Airbnb purchases.
You’ll also earn three points per $1 spent at restaurants, on transit, and other travel categories, such as airfare, cruises, car rentals and more. You earn one point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
Read more about the American Express® Green Card.
Best for simple redemptions: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Here’s why: With the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, you’ll earn five miles per $1 spent on hotels, vacation rentals and car rentals booked through Capital One Travel, plus two miles per $1 spent on all other purchases — making it easy to earn points.
This Capital One credit card lets you use those miles to get reimbursed for past travel purchases, like Airbnb stays. And you can transfer miles to one of the travel loyalty programs that partners with Capital One. This can give you flexibility when using your rewards and provide an opportunity to maximize the value of your miles.
You’ll also get a bonus of 75,000 miles when you spend $4,000 in the first 3 months after opening your account.
Read more about the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card to help you decide if this card’s other features make it a good fit for your wallet.
Best entry-level travel: Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card
Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card
Here’s why: The Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card offers two points per $1 spent on travel and dining purchases and 1.5 points per $1 spent on all other purchases.
This Bank of America credit card charges a $95 annual fee. But you can offset the fee with its $100 in travel statement credits for airline incidental charges like seat upgrades or baggage fees. And if you plan use the card overseas, there are no foreign transaction fees.
New cardholders can earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.
Find out more about the Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card.
Best for no annual fee: Citi Double Cash® Card
Here’s why: The Citi Double Cash® Card is a straightforward card that offers 2% cash back on every purchase: You’ll get 1% cash back when you make purchases, and 1% cash back when you pay them off.
It’s easy to get caught up in the benefits and higher earning rates premium credit cards offer without realizing how much the annual fee cost can add up to each year. This Citi credit card is a no-annual-fee card with a straightforward cash back solution.
You don’t have any complex category structures to remember and the best part is that you can redeem your rewards for cash back, which you can use anywhere, including Airbnbs.
Read more about the Citi Double Cash® Card.
How we picked these cards
We looked at a wide range of credit cards — including several rewards, cash back and travel credit cards — to find the best credit cards that can help you earn or redeem points for Airbnb stays. We then identified several categories of perks many types of Airbnb users may be interested in when choosing a credit card.
How to make the most of credit cards for Airbnb
It’s a good idea to make sure you understand exactly how your card rewards and benefits work before trying to use them to earn or redeem points for Airbnb stays. Some rewards programs may exclude Airbnb from your benefits or rewards, so it’s best to call your credit card company to double check if you’re unsure.
Remember, the best Airbnb credit card may not be the most obvious choice. A frequent traveler may find that high-annual-fee travel credit cards provide more ongoing value. Or you might prefer a straightforward cash back credit card for long-term value — especially if you don’t have a use for the travel perks and benefits a premium rewards card may offer.
Before adding one of these cards or any other card to your wallet, it’s important to consider your spending habits and lifestyle.