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While some credit card issuers offer the same rewards and perks with each purchase, travel reward cards often offer bonus rewards for travel purchases or statement credits that apply to travel-related expenses.
Therefore, it is important to explain the variation in what you purchase counts as a trip from the credit card issuer to the next credit card issuer. For example, booking a stay and flight directly at a hotel or airline, must ensure that you are considered a trip. But when you get into less obvious travel-related purchases like boat leases, parking garages, campsites, timeshares, and more, it’s not so clear.
If you rely on cards to deliver travel-related perks, you can plan accordingly as the issuer needs to know how to categorize purchases. Here we look at the definition of travel according to different card issuers. We also look at the steps you can take to get the rewards and perks you expect when using your card to purchase a trip.
How does the issuer define travel purchases with a credit card?
The Publisher defines a trip and awards the associated rewards and benefits with the help of the Merchant Category Code (MCCS).
The network is a company such as Visa or MasterCard that processes transactions and decides how to purchase through MCC. MCCs are assigned by payment processors based on typical products and services sold by merchants.
Depending on the payment processor in question, the merchant can also request a specific or secondary MCC. These categories are very specific. For example, individual airlines have their own codes, but “camping sites and trailer parks” can be grouped under a single code.
From the assigned MCC, the issuer can decide what to count between travel purchases. Some are obvious – for example, Hilton coded purchases – but there are other things that are not intuitive, such as:
- Accommodation – Hotels, Motels, Resorts – Not classified elsewhere (MCC 7011) – Some card networks list hotels only as travel-related purchases, but motels tend to mostly count as travel.
- Real Estate Agent (MCC 6513) – You may be surprised to see this MCC come out, but this category often includes popular vacation rental booking sites such as Vacasa and Vrbo.com.
- Travel Agents and Tour Operators (MCC 4722) – If travel agents were run from brick and mortar offices or individual homes, this category currently includes online travel agents (OTAs), such as Expedia.com and Priceline.
These three fall under “other purchases” in the category code listing, but most card issuers may be considered travelling.
Travel purchase examples
The chart provides general information about a particular card for each issuer, but is not a comprehensive list. Read the terms of use of a particular credit card to find out which purchases are registered as travel.
| American Express | Bank of America | Capital 1 | Tracking | City | Discover | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airlines | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| amusement park | ✅ | |||||
| Art Gallery | ✅ | |||||
| Aquarium and Zoo | ✅ | |||||
| Boat rental | ✅ | |||||
| bus | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | |||
| Camping area | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ||
| Car Rental Institutions | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Carnival and Circus | ✅ | |||||
| Cruise Line | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | |
| ferry | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | |||
| Hotel | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Limousine | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | |||
| Motel | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Camper and Recreation Vehicle Rental | ✅ | |||||
| Passenger operator | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Parking and Garage | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | |||
| taxi | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ||
| Timeshare | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ||
| Tolls and bridge fees | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | |||
| Tour Operator | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ||
| Tourist attractions and exhibitions | ✅ | |||||
| Trailer Park | ✅ | |||||
| Travel agents (including OTA) | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Truck and trailer rental | ✅ |
Publisher-specific travel requirements
American Express
Many American Express Membership Rewards Revenue Cards offer points for certain travel-related purchases. for example, American Express Platinum Card Awards 5x points for flights booked directly through the airline or Amex Travel.
Only American Express GreenCard®* awards bonus points in the more common “Travel” category. In that case, you will be eligible for airfares, hotels, cruises, tours, car rentals, campsites, vacation rentals, travel purchases on third-party travel websites, travel purchases on Amextravel.com.
Bank of America
Bank of America is very transparent when it comes to purchasing that code to travel with each card.
in Bank of America® Premium Rewards® Credit CardFor example, the purchases below will count as travel, resulting in bonus rewards. exhibitions such as lots and garages, tolls and bridge fees, tourist attractions, art galleries, amusement parks, carnivals, circuses, aquariums (and aquariums (and), and more.”
Capital 1
Capital One does not have credit cards that offer bonus rewards for booked travel purchases anywhere, but there is one that offers bonus miles for eligible travel purchases booked through Capital One Travel.
However, Capital One Mill is well known for being redeemed as a statement credit to cover eligible travel purchases made with the card. Therefore, if you plan to offset that purchase with a reward, it is important to understand what your purchase qualifies.
Capital One defines travel as “airlines, hotels, railroads, car rental agencies, limousine services, bus lines, cruise lines, taxis, travel agents, and timeshares.”
Tracking
Chase not only offers several cards that reward common travel spending, but is one of those cards. Chase Sapphire Reserve® – Provides $300 per year travel credits. Knowing eligible purchases for these perks will help you take advantage of the value.
Fortunately, Chase is also transparent about what is included in each bonus reward category. In particular, Chase defines the following purchases as travel: “Operators of airlines, hotels, motels, timeshares, car rental agencies, cruise lines, travel agents, discount travel sites, campsites, passenger trains, buses, taxis, limousines, ferries, tolls, highways, parking and garages.
City
City lists a variety of travel purchases that count as travel with the aim of earning rewards. in City Custom Cash® Card*For example, the following purchases qualify as travel: “Purchase airlines, hotels, cruise lines, travel agents.”
The publisher also specifically notes that “timeshares, boat leases, rentals, campsites and trailer parks, real estate agents” are excluded from selected travel categories to earn top rewards with custom cash.
Discover
Finally, Discover clearly shows which purchases count as travel with your reward credit card choice. in Discover IT® Miles For example, the following purchases qualify for “airline tickets, hotel rooms, car rentals, travel agents, online travel sites, commuter transport, restaurants, gas stations.”
Conclusion
Knowing which types of purchases count as travel with reward credit cards will help you get the best possible reward for your travel expenses. You can also guarantee eligible purchases that trigger credit offers associated with your account.
Unfortunately, you may encounter travel-related purchases that do not code as travel based on the merchant’s MCC. It’s a shame that you won’t get a reward, but there’s nothing you can do to change the situation after the facts. All you can do is count it as a lesson you’ve learned and make a decision on spending based on future rewards accordingly.
*Information regarding American Express® GreenCard and CitiCustiCash® cards is collected independently by Bankrate.com. Card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer.
