What to look for in an Airbnb credit card
Here are the things to consider when choosing a card for Airbnb purchases:
- Airbnb rewards
- Sign-up bonus
- Reward redemption options
- Annual fee
- Travel credits
- No foreign transaction fee
Those are the features that matter most for saving on Airbnb. Other details, such as whether a card has a good credit card APR, aren't as important. If you pay in full every month, you won't need to worry about your card's APR.
Now, let's take a closer look at each of these factors.
Airbnb rewards
If Airbnb is your platform of choice for vacation bookings, it's nice to have a credit card that offers a high rewards rate on those purchases.
We haven't found a credit card that earns bonus points specifically on Airbnb purchases. However, there are quite a few credit cards that list travel as one of their bonus categories. Most of them are travel credit cards, but there are also some cash back cards that earn bonus cash rewards on travel spending.
There are also credit cards that offer a competitive rate, such as 2 points/miles per $1, across all types of purchases. A card like this can also be a good choice, as well. Even without any bonus points, it will earn a reasonable amount on your spending.
Sign-up bonus
Most travel cards offer a sign-up bonus, which is also called a welcome bonus. New cardholders who complete the terms (usually just reaching a spending minimum) earn bonus travel rewards points.
It's always worth comparing sign-up bonuses when choosing a new credit card. The biggest sign-up bonuses can be worth $500 or more, making this one of the most valuable perks a credit card company offers. Your card's sign-up bonus could easily pay for an Airbnb booking in full.
Reward redemption options
Every travel card has its own reward redemption options. Here are the most common ways to use travel rewards:
- Redeem them for award travel. Airline credit cards and hotel credit cards both let you use points/miles for award airfare or hotel stays with the card issuer.
- Redeem them toward travel purchases. Some credit cards let you book travel with points or apply points as a statement credit toward a previous travel purchase you made. You get a fixed value for your points this way, often $0.01 per point.
- Transfer them to a travel partner. Some credit cards have airline and hotel partners where you can transfer your points. Once you do, you can redeem them for award travel.
- Get cash back. Some travel cards let you turn your points into cash. Double-check the value you'll be getting first, because it may be less than what you'd get through other methods.
What's most important here is that you find a card with rewards points you can use. If you want rewards that you can use specifically for Airbnb purchases, look for credit cards that let you redeem points directly for travel purchases. Another potential option with some cards is to redeem rewards for an Airbnb gift card.
Annual fee
Annual fees are common among travel credit cards, and they usually range from about $90 to $450 or more.
That doesn't mean a card with an annual fee is your only option. There are some excellent travel credit cards with no annual fee if that's what you're after. These are an especially good choice if you plan to add authorized users on your credit card and you don't want to pay extra for them.
For frequent travelers, it's worth being open to every option. Travel cards with an annual fee often make up for their cost with the extra benefits they offer. You may find that even after accounting for a card's annual fee, it still saves you more money than an alternative that has no annual fee.
Travel credits
Certain travel cards offer travel credits, particularly high-end cards that cost more. A travel credit is an automatic statement credit that applies to eligible purchases. For example, if a card offers a $300 annual travel credit, you'll get automatic statement credits for your first $300 in yearly travel purchases.
Credits like these go a long way toward balancing out a card's annual fee. And if your card has a credit toward any type of travel purchase, it will most likely apply to an Airbnb reservation.
No foreign transaction fee
If you travel outside the U.S. at all, a credit card with no foreign transaction fee is practically a necessity. There's no reason to pay an extra 3% on purchases abroad.
This can also help you save money on international Airbnb bookings. Rentals sometimes cost less if you change your Airbnb settings to the local currency. To avoid extra fees when switching to a foreign currency, you need a card with no foreign transaction fees.
Almost every travel card lets you make international purchases without charging you extra. But if you go abroad often, it's also smart to look specifically at credit cards for international travel.
How to maximize your credit card rewards with Airbnb
The key to maximizing your credit card rewards with Airbnb is to pay with a credit card that earns bonus rewards on travel purchases.
If a credit card offers bonus travel rewards, Airbnb purchases should qualify. This is typically the only bonus category that includes Airbnb, so it's the best way to earn more rewards on your Airbnb spending. If you don't have a card that earns extra on travel, consider shopping around and applying for a credit card that does.
There are also a few airlines that have Airbnb portals where you can earn miles on your bookings. Here are the airlines with links to their respective Airbnb portals:
All you need to do is go through the airline's portal to book your stay. You'll be prompted to enter your frequent flyer number, and then you'll earn miles on your booking. You can also pay using a travel credit card, so this is an easy way to double up by earning credit card points and airline miles at the same time.
Can you earn a free night with a credit card for Airbnb?
Yes, you can earn a free night with a credit card for Airbnb. To do this, you'll need a credit card that lets you redeem points as a statement credit toward previous travel purchases. After you book the Airbnb on your travel card, you can apply your rewards to the purchase.
Here's an example of how this would work. Let's say you have a credit card with rewards that are worth $0.01 per point toward travel purchases. You book a $200 Airbnb stay with that credit card. Then, you would go to the rewards page and redeem 20,000 points to cover the cost of that Airbnb stay.
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