Key takeaways
- Both the Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card and the Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card offer flexible travel rewards points, a base rate of 1.5X points on regular purchases, no foreign transaction fees and a higher rewards potential if you’re a member of the Bank of America Preferred Rewards program.
- The Bank of America Travel Rewards credit card includes a welcome offer, an intro APR offer, flexible redemption options and no annual fee.
- The Bank of America Premium Rewards credit card comes with a more generous welcome bonus and earns more points on regular dining and travel purchases — although it does charge an annual fee.
Although not as popular as travel credit cards from other issuers, Bank of America boasts its own travel rewards credit cards. Stand-out offerings include the Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card and the Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card, both of which offer flexible travel rewards points and a base rate of 1.5X points on regular purchases.
If you can’t decide between these two cards, it’s smart to compare them based on their full rewards rates, welcome offers and benefits. Read on to learn how they stack up in the most important categories.
Main details
| Cards | Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card | Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome bonus | Receive 60,000 online bonus points – a $600 value – after you make at least $4,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening. | 25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening – that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases. |
| Rewards rate |
|
|
| Intro APR offer | N/A | 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases |
| Annual fee | $95 | $0 |
Bank of America Travel Rewards vs. Bank of America Premium Rewards highlights
As you compare the Bank of America Premium Rewards credit card vs. the Bank of America Travel Rewards credit card, consider which one wins in the following important categories.
Welcome bonus winner
Rewards rate winner
Foreign transaction fee winner
Which card earns the most?
While both of these rewards cards offer a flat 1.5X points per dollar spent on regular purchases, the Bank of America Premium Rewards credit card also offers 2X points per dollar on travel and dining. As a result, anyone who spends money on dining and travel (that’s not purchased through the Bank of America Travel Center) will earn more points with this card overall. However, remember that Bank of America Travel Rewards cardholders earn 3X points on Bank of America Travel Center purchases.
That said, you may be wondering how much more in rewards you could earn with the Bank of America Premium Rewards card and whether the extra rewards are worth the $95 annual fee. The spending example below can help you decide.
Spending example
Let’s say you have a family of four and that your family spends about $1,350 per month on food (or $16,200 per year) In addition to food spending, let’s say your family also spends $300 per month ($3,600 per year) on dining out and $5,000 per year on airfare and hotels across two separate family vacations. Let’s also imagine you spend $1,000 per month ($12,000 per year) on miscellaneous purchases.
With the Bank of America Premium Rewards credit card, you would earn 59,500 points (worth $595 in rewards):
- 24,300 points on groceries
- 7,200 points on dining out
- 10,000 points on travel (not through the Bank of America Travel Center)
- 18,000 points on miscellaneous purchases
With the Bank of America Travel Rewards credit card, on the other hand, you would earn 55,200 points (worth $552 in rewards):
- 24,300 points on groceries
- 5,400 points on dining out
- 7,500 points on travel (not through the Bank of America Travel Center)
- 18,000 points on miscellaneous purchases
However, if you purchase travel through the Bank of America Travel Center, you’ll earn 3X points on those purchases. That means you’ll instead earn 15,000 points on those travel purchases for a total of 62,700 points (worth $627 in rewards) — which is more than the Bank of America Premium Rewards credit card.
Keep in mind, though, that the Bank of America Premium Rewards credit card offers a higher welcome bonus of 60,000 points (earned after spending $4,000 within 90 days), which is worth $600. That will add considerably more to your first-year rewards haul than the Bank of America Travel Rewards, which offers 25,000 points after spending $1,000 within 90 days and comes in the form of a $250 statement credit.
Why should you get the Bank of America Premium Rewards credit card?
The Bank of America Premium Rewards credit card can be a better choice if you don’t mind paying an annual fee. You’ll earn a more generous welcome bonus within the first few months and more points on all dining and travel purchases (not purchased through the Bank of America Travel Center).
Plus, this premium card also comes with more cardholder perks overall.
Why should you get the Bank of America Travel Rewards credit card?
If you’re averse to paying the annual fee for a credit card, the Bank of America Travel Rewards card is easy to love. However, there are other reasons to consider this travel card, including its introductory APR offers and flexible travel redemption options.
The bottom line
While the Bank of America Premium Rewards card is a better fit for people who want a more generous welcome offer and a higher earning rate, the Bank of America Travel Rewards card lets users rack up flexible rewards with no annual fee. By taking the time to compare these two top rewards cards side by side, you can decide which Bank of America travel card is a better fit for your needs.
The information about the Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card and the Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card was last updated on Sept. 12, 2024.
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